A recent ABB survey has revealed a lack of tech talent to be a top challenge affecting data centers in the Asia Pacific region.

In the dynamic, fast-paced data center industry, a passion for change is essential as there are new challenges around every corner.

To ensure we have our finger on the pulse of what’s happening in this ever-evolving industry, ABB recently carried out a survey of data center professionals in the Asia Pacific region.

The research report, delivered in partnership with Data Center Dynamics (DCD), provides great insight into the key trends and challenges faced by operators in the region.

ABB found the emergence of a key trend which has the potential to change the way data center operators build, maintain and operate their facilities going forward.

Of course, we’re talking about the not so secret skills shortage plaguing the data center industry. Both in terms of access to specialist subcontractors and trades, and the shortage of skilled people to work in data center facilities. This mirrors trends in Europe, where delivering extra capacity is being hampered by the lack of skilled labor.

Unlike technology-based challenges, people-based challenges can be much harder to resolve and they require longer term strategies. Attracting talent to the industry, providing training and upskilling all takes time.

One way our data center customers in the Asia Pacific region – and indeed Europe – can help themselves in the short to medium term is to utilize prefabricated, pretested modular solutions to reduce labor resources required on site for the installation of power equipment.

This can take the pressure off existing staff and speed up installation and commissioning times by up to 50 percent to get new data centers deployed faster.

How data center operators respond to the current skills shortage will determine growth in 2022 and beyond, as rising global demand for data collides with the constraints and far-reaching impacts of the lack of appropriately skilled people.

To read the full report on construction trends in the Asia Pacific and discover more information about the skills shortage and the other post-pandemic challenges facing operators in the Asia Pacific region, click here.