ARK DATA CENTRES
The breadth of skills required underscores the complexity of modern data centre operations and the diverse expertise needed to drive the industry forward . “ You need nuclear engineers to do that side of things .,” Pip adds “ You need mechanical engineers to be able to drive your data centres or your autonomous vehicles . And we need to have scientific people across the broad spectrum of nationals , gender , wherever they come from , because everybody ’ s got a really good brain and if you put your mind to it , you could become a really good engineer . It ’ s good fun .”
The challenge is compounded by the rapid pace of technological change in the industry . As data centres become more complex and integrate new technologies like AI and advanced cooling systems , the skills required to design , build and maintain these facilities are constantly evolving .
As the data centre industry continues to grow and evolve , addressing the skills gap will be crucial for ensuring its sustainability and ability to innovate . It will require a concerted effort from companies , educational institutions and policymakers to attract , train and retain the diverse talent needed to power the data centres of the future .
Pip ’ s vision for the future of the industry is both expansive and inspiring : “ If we ’ re going to need all this power , we need to have power engineers that are looking at the different ways we can generate electricity and store it . We need to look at how we can harvest the oceans to be able to provide better carbon sinks . How do we start growing kelp farms that are much more efficient at capturing carbon than using the kelp to do something else with ?”
This multifaceted approach to sustainability – encompassing energy efficiency , innovative cooling solutions , supply chain management and cuttingedge power generation and carbon capture – will require a new generation of skilled professionals . As Pip puts it : “ The scope for engineering or scientific minds is just huge . And at the moment it ’ s not seen as sexy . It doesn ’ t make as much money as going into the city , but to me it ’ s much sexier . It has a much bigger impact on the world . I feel I can walk away after 45 years of building things , and I can be proud of what I ’ ve done . To me , that ’ s a big legacy to leave .” sustainabilitymag . com 73