Real people, real paths: How young talent is shaping the future of data centers

The data center industry is on the edge of a major transformation. Over the next decade, one in four professionals in the field will retire, according to the Uptime Institute. With a growing demand for digital infrastructure, the industry is preparing itself not just for a skills shortage, but a people shortage too.

We see this challenge as a huge opportunity. It’s a call to action to attract and support the next generation of talent; the curious, the ambitious and the passionate people looking to build a meaningful and lasting future in data and tech.

In this article we’re spotlighting three early-career professionals who are already making their mark in STACK’s data centers, each from a different background, each bringing a different perspective. Their stories show what’s possible when young people are given the tools, opportunities and support to thrive.

STACK is a leading developer and operator of data centers with sites across the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and have recently launched STACK Academy to onboard 55 data center trainees in 2025. Could you be the next STACK superstar?

First impressions matter

Like many students and recent grads, Lorna, Vanessa and Christian didn’t have “data centers” at the top of their career lists. But their stories show how quickly that can change.

"For my marketing placement, I wanted to work in an industry that's important and meaningful," said Lorna. "I wasn't familiar with data centers or their role in society, but I got to researching and quickly understood just how much I had been missing. When I realised the vital role they play in our connected world and just how different our lives would be without them, I knew I wanted to get on board and help promote the industry to the public. The placement was also described as being 'hands on', which is exactly what I needed to supplement my academic work."

“My degree was in ecology and animal biology and that developed my understanding of environmental impact. This was further enhanced by the specialist modules I studied on sustainability,” said Vanessa. “I knew that I wanted a structured introduction into a sustainability career but was not looking at the data center industry, and knew very little about it until this internship was recommended to me.”

"Now that I’m working here, I’m learning more about the importance of alignment between our sustainability initiatives, applied from construction to operations and growth in demand for digital services. It’s amazing to be working as part of a dedicated ESG team in such an impactful industry."

"As an early career step, it is great to be doing something so relevant to my life and which has a direct application to so much of the modern world.”

Christian, a technical college graduate in Italy, also had limited awareness of the sector before joining as a trainee electrician.

“I wanted to be working on technical tasks in the field, but with variety and the opportunity for progression. My school has a long-running relationship with STACK which is how I learned about an opportunity at the Milan data center. I really did not know what to expect, but I was surprised and impressed at just how many electricians were employed there and the importance of their day-to-day work.”

Learning by doing 

For all three, getting hands-on quickly was a major highlight and a big part of what’s shaped their career ambitions so far.

“What I have discovered over the last couple of years,” Christian continued, “is an exciting mix of technical tasks working on critical systems, training both on-the-job and with partners, and increasing opportunities to take on more managerial duties. No two days are the same. One day I may be in the field maintaining equipment, and the next I could be in the office coordinating activities and monitoring and reporting on our critical systems.”

“I saw an opportunity to take on new responsibilities when my manager was looking for support on some of the management aspects of our technical team. I put myself forward and was accepted for the role, which has enabled me to grow and develop new skills. STACK is a great place to work and presents more opportunities than other field electrician jobs I could have taken after school.”

“I quickly found myself immersed in ESG projects and I'm looking at a host of sustainability initiatives across EMEA with our team,” said Vanessa. “We're constantly evolving and improving our various programs and I feel my input is genuinely valued. The last few months have really helped me understand the crucial importance of striking a balance between growth and environmental stewardship.”

“From the outset, we have been involved in the day-to-day operations of the business,” Lorna confirmed. “I'm always learning, even more so than at university. Even being copied on emails helps me understand the complexity and breadth of roles and responsibilities within a data center organisation and the communications and marketing imperatives it creates.”

“Vanessa and I were invited to attend a data center conference in London recently to help build our awareness, understanding and connections across the sector,” added Lorna. “I also got to travel to Switzerland recently to support our communications and marketing around another industry event,” she continued. “The opportunity to bridge internal, external and marketing communications helps me see and understand the multiple different aspects of data center operations and their importance to clients.”

Looking ahead 

All three are already thinking about what’s next and how they can continue to grow in the data center space.

“I can definitely see myself continuing in the industry; there is so much opportunity and it is growing so fast. Many of my friends say that they have not had such exciting placements, nor had the opportunity to get as involved as I have in important projects,” said Lorna.

“I could have taken a different path and worked on domestic or commercial electrical installations or security systems, for instance, but those would not have allowed me to grow so quickly and to explore so many different facets of being an electrician. I’d say to anyone graduating from a trade school like mine to go for it and grab opportunities in the data center sector,” said Christian. 

“There is a lot of space for me to grow in the ESG field within this industry,” added Vanessa. “Currently we have a lack of younger people in this industry, so I’d encourage anyone to investigate data centres and understand the wide range of roles and opportunities the sector provides.”

Building clear, inclusive pathways

The stories of Lorna, Christian and Vanessa show what’s possible when early talent gets the right support. But we can’t stop there.

From school programs to graduate schemes, training programs and career changers, the data center industry needs to keep creating clear and accessible pathways for all.

STACK is already investing in this future:

• A primary school course in Switzerland introduces kids to computing and tech through data center visits.

• A UK-based scholarship program supports young women from underrepresented backgrounds to explore careers in the field.

• In Italy, training programs are opening doors for both trade school grads and skilled workers from other industries.

• And most recently, STACK Academy has announced they will be hiring 55 new trainees in 2025 across their data centers in Italy, Norway and Switzerland, and are actively encouraging applicants from diverse socioeconomic and educational backgrounds.

The future is wide open

If there’s one thing these stories show, it’s that you don’t need a computer science degree or years of experience to get started. With the right programs and support, careers in the data center industry, and tech more broadly, are more open and accessible than you might think.

The digital economy is growing fast. And the sector that powers it is ready for a new wave of talent.