The move by the UK government to class data centres as critical infrastructure—at a time when pushback on construction and ongoing investment is happening in equal measure—cannot have come soon enough.
If the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that how we address the problem of cybersecurity will play a pivotal role in shaping our lives and economic outlook. This announcement indicated that they have considered the long-term practicalities of what empowering data centres can do to address this issue head-on. A direct line to the government and pledged support means cyber-attacks do not have to be immobilising events or are less likely to happen at all.
Alongside this, a new £3.75 billion data centre in Hertfordshire, set to be one of the largest in Europe, underscores the importance of this sector. However, with such growth, the urgent need for talent becomes even more apparent. It’s no secret that data centres are struggling with a talent shortage driven by a significant skills gap and a lack of industry entrants....