Connect | Virginia // DCD>Debate: Shifting inclusion strategies - Is there a new workforce dilemma?

Across the United States, programs designed to broaden access to education, training, and career opportunities are being re-evaluated and scaled back. With ever-changing legislation and policy shifts at both the state and federal levels, infrastructure that once supported inclusive workforce development is being reshaped in significant ways.

For the data center industry, this raises a critical question: how can the industry build a next-generation workforce without the robust pipelines that once supported emerging and underrepresented talent?

The sector already faces a pressing talent shortage across engineering, construction, and operations. As long-standing programs are rolled back or restructured, the impact on future pools of skilled professionals could be substantial. What are the long-term implications for the industry’s ability to attract and develop the workforce it urgently needs?

Conducted under Chatham House Rule, this DCD>Debate invites experts to explore these pivotal workforce challenges and what they mean for the future of the industry.