Author: Zoe Towlson

As we all may know  by now, Andy Davis – Director of DataX Connect – has created a successful weekly podcast to showcase the data centre industry and what it’s like to work inside it. From time to time though, he can be seen (or heard) on other people’s podcasts and chats, sharing his knowledge and understanding of this growing industry. Data Centre Dynamics sat down with Andy to talk recruitment, in an engaging 20 minute video that can be watched here.

Maybe you are curious about the skills shortage, what the industry is looking for, and how to improve diversity and awareness. Or do you want to know what skills are easily transferrable, or if you’re already in the industry, hear what Andy wants the industry to be aware of. This is well worth a listen to in order to gain insight into data centres as Vlad and Andy discuss how he got into data centres and how others can do the same. There are a lot of opportunities available but making people aware of these is one of the major challenges being faced at the moment, with a new push towards making sure more people know just what is out there.

Following the talk, DCPro created a blog to highlight the skills shortage, using Andy’s insider knowledge to see its effects on the Data Centre Industry. An interesting read that can be found here, giving you a more in depth viewpoint of the jobs, skills, and expectations of businesses. Knowing how the sector is run and what companies are doing to grow and retain a vital workforce shows the flourishing opportunities that are being provided; helping you to visualise a rewarding career.

There are a lot of job roles available and looking to hire the right candidates, and our wonderful DataX team can connect you with the right employer and the chance to start on a successful career path. With international connections and clients searching for their ideal fit, it could be you working in a constantly expanding industry which we rely on more and more.

Our trusted recruitment agency is filled with a very experienced and friendly team that are ready to start you on your journey. Learn more about data centres or expand your current experience with our range of positions that want filling. Call the team on 01489888499 (UK) or visit the website to find more ways of contacting us!

On March 9^th 2022, we were joined by Jeffrey Tay, Executive Vice President Strategic Partnerships at SpaceDC, who shared a news update on their activity across the APAC region. 

Tell us about SpaceDC’s recent announcement, the new 72 megawatt data centre in Manila which will be the Philippines’ largest hyperscale data centre campus.  

“The Philippines is prone to volcanic eruptions, and this piece of property that we managed to secure is just off the earthquake zone. We’re building the first green data centre in the Philippines, just like we did in Indonesia, only this time around, we’re using geo-thermal energy by working with a local renewable energy company, and it’ll have a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.3 . Three buildings, each four storeys high.” 

What motivated you to go into the region in such a big way?  

“Yes, over the past four to five years, we’ve been within the top three providers in the market. We had a vision that made us want to develop in the region desperately. Southeast Asia is a growing population, and this, coupled with the trends in mobility data and observing where the cloud companies are going, we believe the Philippines is going to be the next big one given the country itself is really fibre rich. We’re close to a lot of telecom exchanges, so we’re very happy we managed to secure the location.” 

How have you had to adapt the facility to achieve your organization’s sustainability and ESG targets?  

“As an organization, we strongly believe we need to do our part for the planet. And, as you know, data centres consume a fair bit of power. So, we want to be as environmentally friendly as possible. It’s not just about using renewable energy, we’re also factoring the environmental aspect into the design of the data centre and the partners we collaborate with. There’s also a moratorium in Singapore, whereby the ESG must be factored into the design, and buildings need to be platinum certified in the Green Bay area, for example. So, we are doing all we can, from the design to the operations, to ensure we maintain the data centre in a green way.”  

Will you be exploring any other regions?  

“Yes, we will be announcing various partnerships in China. It’s not an easy market, but we do see a lot of opportunity, especially because there is a lot of activity from financial institutions. Goldman Sachs reported there’s a lot of potential for growth revenue space, and we think there’s a lot of potential in China in terms of DC deals.” 

You would need to adapt the design of your data centres to the Chinese market. Are you confident you’ll be able to do that?  

“Yes, they have their institutional guidelines, but there are a lot of similarities. So, yes, from a design perspective, we will need to be approved. But more importantly, there’s a significant learning curve when it comes to their commercial model. The market has predominantly been dominated by teleco companies, and this is a behavioural pattern that end users are used to. So, that’s a big reason for our partnership, they’re going to help us mediate and be a liaison.” 

Do you have any predictions for the datacentre sector for 2022?  

“I think Singapore is a key market to watch. Next is the Philippines, of course, and Thailand I think will be a fast-growing market. And I think growth will depend on various parameters like ESG energy, constraints of land, that will define the players that lead the game.” 

Listen to the full episode of Inside The Data Centre here.