DE-CIX, Nomad Futurist partner to tackle skills gap
Author: Joe Peck
The Interconnection Academy, founded by internet exchange (IX) operator DE-CIX and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, has formed a partnership with the Nomad Futurist Foundation, a nonprofit organisation advancing education in digital infrastructure, to widen access to free training covering networking, data centres, and interconnection.
The collaboration aims to support skills development as digital infrastructure roles expand and organisations report difficulty filling technical posts.
Industry research points to growing demand for skills in areas including networks, security, AI, and data, alongside an expected fall in available talent as experienced network engineers retire over the coming years.
Through the agreement, both organisations will share selected online learning content and training modules, with new Interconnection Academy courses on networking and interconnection scheduled to launch in January and April 2026 and additional material planned later in the year.
Shared content and new training pathways
The Interconnection Academy is an online education initiative created to improve understanding of digital infrastructure and interconnection. It works with industry specialists and partner organisations to produce accessible technical and market-related material, aimed at supporting people entering the workforce as well as existing staff needing to update their knowledge.
The Nomad Futurist Foundation is a non-profit organisation focused on raising awareness of the digital infrastructure sector through education and engagement. Its associated academy provides introductory and specialist learning covering data centre development, interconnection, and related areas.
As part of the agreement, selected modules – beginning with content explaining data centre infrastructure – will be made available through the Interconnection Academy platform.
The partnership announcement coincides with meetings between the organisations in Hawaii on 16 and 17 January, where Interconnection Academy founder and DE-CIX Chief Executive Ivo Ivanov will take part in the annual PTC Beyond Masterclass educational programme.
Ivo notes, “With the advent of AI, we are facing the newest industrial revolution, in which we will need to further up-skill and re-skill workers for tomorrow’s industries.”
Yolandi Cloete, Manager of the Global Interconnection Academy, comments, “Working with the Nomad Futurist Foundation enables us to expand access to high-quality educational offerings and co-create and share industry-relevant learning modules with a trusted partner.
“The two organisations are united by a shared passion for education and innovation in the digital infrastructure space.”
Nabeel Mahmood, co-founder and CEO of the Nomad Futurist Foundation, adds, “Digital infrastructure touches every part of modern life, yet very few people truly understand how it works or the opportunities it creates.
“By partnering with the Interconnection Academy, we’re bridging that gap, making complex concepts approachable, and helping people see a future for themselves in this industry. Education is the on-ramp to inclusion, innovation, and long-term impact.”
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