Microsoft Announces First Data Center Academy in Asia

Microsoft opened a Datacenter Academy in Singapore last week, its first academy in Asia. Like many in the tech industry, Microsoft feels the skills shortage and so opened the centers with an eye on supplying more talent to the IT industry.

The data center industry will be facing an acute shortage of talent within the next 10 years according to the Data Center Knowledge2022 Salary Survey. As retiring professionals leave the industry, many organizations are providing educational opportunities for those at the beginning of, or who have yet to start, their careers.

Low-Cost or No-Cost Data Center Educational Opportunities

There are several organizations that offer paid certifications and training opportunities, from the Uptime Institute to LinkedIn Learning. For those looking for an introduction to the data center industry, there are several no-cost resources available. Here’s a quick listing of the programs that are available:

iMasons Digital Infrastructure Capstone Project
The Infrastructure Masons continue to lead the way in opening the door for educational opportunities that breathe new life into the data center industry. The capstone project offers undergraduates an introduction to the possibilities available in the data center world.

Find out more here.

Related:AWS Cloud Skills Training Aims to Help Close IT Talent Gap

Microsoft Datacenter Academies
Microsoft hosts academies with partner organizations around the globe that offer accessible data center education for those who normally wouldn’t have access. Their Singapore Academy requires a five-year commitment and is offered in partnership with local firm ITE.

See which Microsoft Datacenter Academies are near you.

Schneider Electric’s Data Center University
This program provides no-cost education on data center topics, and it’s all online. There are a variety of courses for seasoned professionals and career starters alike. Courses include “An Overview of Data Center Physical Infrastructure” and “Alternative Power Generation Technologies.”

Click here for more details.

Google’s Discovering Data Centers YouTube Playlist

No-cost educational opportunities abound on YouTube. Is it no wonder then that Google would host top-level instruction about data centers on the world’s most popular video hosting site? Of course not. Google’s data center playlist includes clear, approachable, and short videos on the basics of data centers including networking, encryption, storage, and computing. Check it out here.

While this list is by no means comprehensive, it’s a solid place to start when looking for a painless introduction to the world of data centers. Continue to check this space as we’ll be adding resources as they come to light.