by Chris Strong for Soben part of Accenture
Data centre construction requires very specific skills. Where can we find them asks Soben’s Chris Strong.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the data centre construction sector is about to explode. Blackstone estimates that there will be over $1 trillion invested in data centres over the next five years, with an additional $1 trillion to be invested internationally.
The big question is: who will build them? Data centre projects require specialist skillsets, especially within project management teams, general contractors and MEP contractors.
In this still relatively new sector, with demand growing almost exponentially, it won’t be possible to employ individuals and companies with long track records in data centre construction on every project. Companies in the sector need to work hard to grow their resources and competencies, and to find smarter ways to work that will boost productivity.
Skills shortages
Developers in data centre hotspots have faced the issue of skills shortages for the past few years. In some established markets, general and MEP contractors are calling the shots on contract terms and costs. In new markets, companies with the right skills and experience simply don’t exist.
Where general contractors with the relevant experience are thin on the ground, some developers are turning to the Project Management Consultant (PMC) approach. In this model, borrowed from the oil and gas sector, the general contractor is employed directly by the client with consultants providing project management and project controls expertise to the client.
To work in the project management team for a data centre project, construction professionals need a raft of technical and soft skills. At Soben, many team members have come from a contractor background, bringing with them a hands-on understanding of buildability and interface issues that heavily affect our schedules. All of which is vital for these projects where programme really is king.
An almost obsessive attention to detail is vital, from adherence to building codes and local regulations to logistics planning and tracking of equipment orders and deliveries which will be coming to site from all over the world. Data centre construction professionals must be technically minded, appreciating the equipment and systems that make up a data centre, from power distribution and backup to computing infrastructure to advanced cooling technologies.
In an environment where technology and processing capabilities are developing constantly, the ability to manage change on data centre projects is key. Project Controls professionals – like ours here at Soben – must assess the impacts and risks of change, communicate them clearly and then manage them alongside cost and schedule.
Data centre projects are already deploying some digital tools for processes and elements of construction, a trend that will continue and develop, and which project teams must embrace. Automating everyday activities frees up valuable human resource, allowing more time for communication, coordination and adding value to the project.
Looking to other sectors
Many of the skills needed for data centre projects could have been gained in other construction sectors. An obvious place to look is other mission critical projects such as major healthcare developments, energy infrastructure, airports and military facilities.
The data centre construction sector could also look to other industries to find project management professionals with the right behaviours and skills. For instance, in Scotland – somewhere that we’ve previously highlighted as an emerging data centre location – the oil and gas sector could provide a good hunting ground for new talent.
Companies up and down the data centre construction supply chain are developing their own training and upskilling programmes. For instance, in October last year, Schneider Electric opened a new facility in the North of England to train engineers, customers and other companies in its power and cooling systems for data centres. Major players, such as AWS, are investing in the local communities where they are building to provide training in the skills needed for construction – as well as operation – of data centres.
Looking to the next generation, there are initiatives such as the Digital Futures programme at University Technical College (UTC) Heathrow in the UK which trains students from the age of 14 in mechanical and electrical engineering, IoT devices, cabling infrastructure and project management.
High octane, high reward
As governments around the world recognise the vital role that data centres will play in every aspect of our lives, awareness of the opportunities in the data centre construction sector is growing. Data centre projects are demanding, high-octane environments. But they are also extremely rewarding – and even addictive.
Find out more about the data centre skills gap and what companies around the world are doing to plug it in Soben’s third annual data centre trends report: https://www.sobencc.com/DCTrends2025/
We’re hiring!
We’re hiring for data centre professionals around the world. If you are interested in exploring a career in data centre construction at Soben, check out our open roles at www.sobencc.com/careers.
