Across the sector, leaders are asking the same question: how do we build and retain a workforce that’s ready for what’s next?

The answer starts by rethinking how we define talent. Too often, job descriptions and hiring criteria focus narrowly on previous data center experience, even for entry-level roles. That creates an artificial barrier, one that excludes capable, driven individuals who may come from adjacent fields like manufacturing, logistics, and even the military. Experience matters, but it isn’t the only measure of readiness.

In reality, technical aptitude, a safety-first mindset, and the ability to learn quickly are stronger indicators of success in this evolving environment.

With this in mind, the veteran community stands out as an especially relevant and capable talent pool. Veterans are trained to operate under pressure, lead teams, and manage complex systems, all in dynamic, high-stakes conditions.

These are exactly the traits that translate into high performance in data center operations. Yet despite their alignment with the industry, veterans remain an underutilized segment of the talent pool. The challenge is twofold: first, job descriptions often fail to reflect skills veterans already have; second, outreach to military communities isn’t always deep or targeted enough.

Unlocking this potential means working directly with military transition programs, veteran networks, and apprenticeship pathways to bridge the gap between military experience and civilian roles. Salute’s own veteran workforce model continues to demonstrate the strength of this approach at scale.

Tapping into new sources of talent also means reaching people earlier - well before they are actively job hunting. For some time, many students lacked awareness of what a data center is, and even less understanding of the diverse career paths available within the industry.

However, this is starting to change, with more companies and industry groups building partnerships with high schools, trade schools, and local education programs. These early engagements are critical in creating both awareness and ambition.

Expanding the workforce pipeline quickly for the industry has always been a challenge, and unless companies are intentional in their strategy about who gets hired, how, and why, this will not change. A victim of its own success, innovation is fundamental to our industry, and with this, change is constant.

Being prepared with understanding the type of roles and appropriate competence for traditional operations or high-performance compute, robust training plans, and ensuring a diverse workforce will be crucial. As the demand for digital infrastructure increases, workforce planning cannot and should not remain static. It must evolve to reflect the speed, complexity, and opportunity of the industry itself. That evolution starts by eliminating unnecessary barriers, recognizing potential in non-traditional candidates, and creating long-term paths for growth.

Diversity of people, teams, and skills must also be built into the hiring process. This means creating inclusive job postings, removing unnecessary prerequisites, and assembling interview panels that reflect the diversity companies want to see in their workforce.

When candidates encounter representation at every stage of recruitment, they're more likely to envision themselves in the role -making them more invested in the process. And once the right candidates are in the door, training and development must take precedent. In this fast-changing environment, specific technical skills can be taught, but the ability to learn, solve problems, and follow safety protocols must be identified and nurtured from day one.

Organizations are increasingly shifting from experience-based hiring to potential-based growth, investing in onboarding, mentorship, and hands-on training models that turn aptitude into capability and capability into lasting retention.

Keeping people in the industry has been a challenge. Too many roles today lack clear pathways for succession, leaving talented teams and frameworks stuck in hand-me-down roles with no clear route to team lead or management positions. This ambiguity drives turnover and weakens long-term bench strength.

To combat this, succession planning and continuous development should be baked into workforce strategies from the start, ensuring employees stay longer and contribute more when they can see a future within the organization.

Underpinning all of this is a company culture where nurturing and strong values make people want to stay. There are so many success stories where staff retention is high. The data center industry is high-pressure, fast-moving, and deeply technical, yet the companies that retain talent best are those that prioritize people, not just as employees, but as future leaders. This means investing in them, listening to their goals, and creating environments that support collaboration and growth. A strong culture doesn't just improve retention; it drives performance.

The future of the data center workforce won’t come from the same places it has in the past. It will be built by companies willing to lead with vision, and invest in people before they’re perfect.