For international women's day, DCD is making an offer that will drive diversity in a tangible way. Our training division DCPro is offering free access to women for our DCT (Data Center Technician) Certification. 

A 16-course, 56-hour e-learning program leads to a credential that shows employers you have an in-depth understanding of the concepts of mission-critical operations. Complete the course, and you also get 56 CPD points that can be used against other certifications and professional memberships.

The course value is $2,400.

The data center industry is one of the fastest growing industries, and suffers a demonstrable lack of participation by women - while loudly complaining of an acute shortage of skilled staff.

While women have been making progress in science subjects, only a small minority of women choose to study information technology, creating a hurdle for women to get past into responsible and rewarding jobs in the data centers and other technology sectors.

"According to research from the National Science Foundation, more women have been earning STEM degrees than any previous generation," said Anne Hardy, CISO of Talend, in a DCD Opinion in 2021. "However, even though STEM degrees are on the rise amongst women, Computer Science (CS) degrees have declined in recent years. In 2016, they were down 19 percent from 27 percent in 1997, due primarily to a dated and harmful 'toys for the boys' perception of the field."

"This isn’t just another scholarship that capitalizes on giving one woman access to the training needed to progress, it’s open to all, and will hopefully give us a platform to build on over the coming months!" said DCD head of marketing Sophie Rutherford.

If you think you can benefit, register here now - and of course, do share this opportunity with colleagues and friends!