Connor Gwilliam
Connor Gwilliam is a recruiter within the Engineering department who specialises in placing data centre engineers with leading FM companies.
We’ve seen an explosion in the number of clients looking for data centre engineers over the past 12-18 months, unsurprising as data centres are one of the fastest-growing sectors.
Although it’s great for the industry to be booming this way, there’s a skills gap in the market. The global demand for data is driving the growth of the industry but more than 70% of tech companies have difficulties attracting and retaining employees.
With an already small pool of talent, are you prepared for the increasing demand for data centre engineers? As things stand, the industry’s expected to grow by 5.5% from 2021 to 2026.
So, what’s the answer? One possible solution could be to consider hiring people with transferrable skills to become expert data centre engineers.
You need an expert in logistics, procurement, and systems engineering. Who better fits this description than a veteran? Many Military Personnel have valuable skills that could transfer to data centre engineering careers. It's a modern approach to tackling the skills gap in the market.
What skills do military personnel have that would make them great data centre engineers?
1) The ability to handle intense pressure
In this role, they’ll likely manage critical and non-critical data processes, meaning they need to perform under pressure. Military Personnel will be used to working with this dynamic, having had to keep a clear head in unimaginable difficult circumstances.
2) Strong collaboration skills
Experienced military personnel must have the ability to collaborate effectively. A vital part of their job is to play a specific role within a larger unit contributing to a mission’s success. The same applies to data centre engineers as they’ll submit proposals for outsourced projects and collaborate with stakeholders and other contractors.
3) Great leadership skills
They’ll be able to take on more responsibility with less training time required. They’ll be used to being accountable for their actions and their mistakes. Critical decisions are often made under pressure with considerable risks in data centres making the military excellent leaders. The qualities of military leaders make them great in the data centre industry as they'll ask the right questions and think strategically to make well-informed decisions.
4) Great organisational skills
Talented military personnel are used to being organised. Organization skills demonstrate your reliability, focus, and ability to manage time and resources effectively so they can work efficiently. Data centre engineers often manage multiple systems, so it’s an essential skill to have.
5) Being reactive
People in the military have often had to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. Data centre engineers need to be able to cope with new situations. In an environment in which data changes constantly, engineers will have to be able to adapt quickly and recognise problems.
A lot of the qualifications that are needed can be taught, and military personnel are used to picking up skills quickly.
The experience that military personnel bring to the table is more valuable than the qualifications you may require and can’t be picked up in the classroom. By working with military personnel to help them build the qualifications, you’ll end up having long term loyal employees who’ll bring a whole new set of skills to the table.
If you’re on the hunt for someone who will be great for your data centre. If you’re coming out of the military get in touch with us too and we can help you with your next steps to becoming a data centre engineer.
