How Telehouse is bridging the gap for new industry entrants
Author: Isha Jain
Recently, a group of computer science students from Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill embarked on a unique journey. Their destination? Telehouse’s data centre.
Unravelling the mystery
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, data centres stand as the silent guardians of our digital lives. Behind every video call, every cloud-based service, and every online transaction, there lies a complex network of data centres ensuring seamless connectivity.
Yet, for many people, data centres remain shrouded in mystery and symbolically imperceptible. And this has created a gap between people and the access to these digital warehouses. What that means for the data centre industry is a sprouting, yet pressing challenge: A lack of people in the industry to operate and maintain data centres.
The industry is grappling with skills shortages and the need for fresh talent, while searching for ways to actively bridge the gap for new entrants. Judy Gosnell, HR Director at Telehouse, shares that some organisations in the data centre sector have found themselves unable to deploy workers in critical functions and push forward with technological progress.
To understand this situation further, Isha Jain, Editor of DCNN visited Telehouse, a global colocation provider, on its mission to tackle the challenge.
A day at Telehouse’s data centre
Telehouse invited a group of computer science students to embark on a day trip to its data centre campus. The aim was to inspire, empower and engage the next generation of employees, and to bridge the gap by helping more people pursue fulfilling data centre careers.
As these students stepped inside, their initial confusion gave way to awe. Who knew that behind the whirring boxes and blinking lights, there was a world of purpose? Interestingly, not all of the students were fully aware of the role data centres play in society – and how they contribute to their daily lives.
All confusion faded when the students learned how data centres facilitate the most critical digital functions that we have all come to rely on. The Telehouse team showcased how behind every video conferencing application is a server powering it, and behind every server is an IT professional that maintains it, an electrical engineer to ensure the right level of power, and a mechanical engineer maintaining the cooling system to prevent overheating. Data centre buildings like theirs operate 24/7 and require different skills to ensure everything runs smoothly, which means there’s a variety of career options and pathways to get involved.
How graduates can become involved
Denis Coskun, a graduate mechanical engineer at Telehouse was one of the people who did not fully grasp the range of options for mechanical engineers in the data centre industry. Only four months new, he had joined Telehouse after his degree from Nottingham University.
Denis shares, “People have a preconceived, stereotypical idea of what engineers do. I’m from Hackney, and I know that in many neighbourhoods, an engineer is seen as someone who fixes the digital box of tricks for the TV. A career in engineering isn’t linear – it can open so many opportunities. For example, my own interest came through work experience at a multi-discipline engineering firm, where I worked from mechanical to electrical, and everything in between.”
He also elaborated on how no two days at his job are alike. Some days, Denis is on-site, working on benchmarks and walk-arounds, and on others he could be doing scoping work. He gets a mixture of learning and hands-on experience.
Denis is currently doing computational fluid dynamics work for one of the data halls in the building, ensuring cooling airflows are properly distributed around the equipment.
There’s no hiding from the scale of the digital skills shortage we currently face, says Judy. But when asked about the anxieties of starting out in an industry that feels distant for students, Denis shares, “I’m very glad I joined Telehouse. I’m one of the youngest people in the company, and like to ask a lot of questions, but everyone here is ready to share their expertise with me. The data centre industry will play a crucial role in the way societies develop and solve some of the human race’s biggest challenges. I’m looking forward to being part of it.”
The future beckons
As Telehouse continues to innovate and expand, it remains committed to nurturing talent. The data centre industry, at the nexus of our data-driven universe, holds immense potential. For Denis and others like him, it’s not just a job — it’s a chance to shape the digital landscape, enhance well-being, and tackle humanity’s greatest challenges.
So, the next time you hear about data centres, remember the unseen heroes behind the screens—the engineers, the IT professionals, and the visionaries. Telehouse is opening doors and windows, inviting new entrants to join this exciting journey. Are you ready to step inside?
