The rapid growth of the data centre sector has caused a worsening crisis in staffing levels. The situation means it is also becoming more difficult to find skilled employees for open infrastructure positions, according to the Uptime Institute global data centre survey
As many as 50% of data centre managers reported difficulties in finding qualified candidates to fill open roles, up from 41% last year and 38% in 2023. Some operators are recruiting outside the industry and retraining staff much more actively and many are turning to outsourced resources. The drivers behind this are many and various. In some regions, the problem is being fuelled by a straightforward shortage of engineers, in others, significant growth in the number of new data centres is ramping up unsustainable demand for staff.