FEATURE: SKILLS GAP
As Britain’ s data centre sector surges, the demand for skilled professionals is outpacing supply. Dale Walker, Director of Education at Apprentify, explores how apprenticeships can bridge the growing talent gap and ensure the UK’ s critical digital infrastructure remains resilient, secure and sustainable for the future.
The UK’ s data centre economy is booming. Valued at £ 8.2 billion in 2023 and projected to hit £ 13 billion by 2032, demand shows no signs of slowing. In the space just a couple of decades, society has evolved into an always-on powerhouse of connectivity – from connected smart homes and highresolution steaming to AI-driven healthcare and factory automation, all underpinned by a physical backbone: the data centre.
Yet while billions are poured into hardware, energy systems and connectivity, one critical element continues to be overlooked: the people who keep it all running. As digital infrastructure becomes more advanced, the gap between technical complexity and available talent is widening. We’ re building faster systems, greener facilities and more secure networks, but with an ageing workforce and an undersupply of trained professionals, who will run them? If we don’ t
Building Britain: Apprenticeships and the future of critical data infrastructure
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