Mission Critical: Veterans in the Data Center Industry

Ninety percent of all data stored on servers today within data centers has been created in the last few years. As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the data center industry is one of the fastest growing in America today. According to the report Data Centers: Global Industry Outlook & Forecast 2018-2023, “the increasing focus in the adoption of advanced technologies such as cloud-based services and IoT will augment the growth of the global data center market.” This growth is well illustrated in Virginia, where Loudon County Economic Development reports planned projects to add 4.5 million square feet of new data center flooring to its nearly 13.5 million square feet currently in operation.

 

“Next-generation technologies require next-generation data center solutions, especially for the applications of tomorrow such as augmented and virtual reality and consumer wearables, which will drive the next surge in demand across our sector,” states Kirk Offel, Executive Vice President of Platform Delivery at Aligned Energy, U.S. Navy veteran, and co-founder of DCAC. Now in its fifth year, DCAC is a two-day summit bringing together tech and data center professional. “To help companies prepare, DCAC 2019 adds new programming, including breakout sessions designed to address the infrastructure challenges facing our community, and presented in the spirit of collaboration for which our event has been celebrated,” explains Offel.

 

This year, the DCAC will be held September 24-25 in Austin, TX, and will feature an extensive list of speakers and breakout sessions. David Coe, SVP of Strategic Programs at Orion Talent and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and Missy Young, CIO of Switch, will be presenting a breakout session on September 25 entitled “Success of Military Veteran Talent in the Mission Critical Industry, featuring a case study on Switch Veteran Hiring and best practices for reaching today’s Veteran Job Seekers”.

 

The dramatic growth of the industry is already leading to a big demand for skilled talent in roles such as Engineers, Project Managers, Technicians, and Data Center Operators. As Coe and Young will point out, one great source for these roles is the Military. The Military has trained professionals who are exceptional at maintaining and operating Mission Critical environments.

 

Examples include the Nuclear technicians that maintain the electrical systems of a submarine in an undersea environment for months at a time or  safely operate a Nuclear reactor that could threaten the lives of thousands of Sailors and Marines working onboard. The makeshift cities that are built overnight in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan by Prime Power electricians and engineers, and even a battery of Patriot missile soldiers protecting allies from imminent threats of SCUD missiles, are other prime examples.

 

“Military veterans possess many skills that have been transferrable to the data center industry, including technical expertise, communication, hands-on leadership and team-building experience,” explains Coe. “We are looking forward to presenting at DCAC’s upcoming conference to help educate the data center industry on the military talent community, and how they can leverage veteran talent to address labor demands and grow their business.”

 

At Orion, we are already meeting the needs of top data centers seeking to hire veterans. We have matched more than 1,200 veterans with various roles with companies like Switch, Digital Realty, CoreSite, QTS, CBRE, and Schneider Electric, to name a few, and look forward to presenting the case for hiring veterans at DCAC 2019. An excellent marriage of skills, hiring servicemen and women trained on the cutting edge technology of the military, to help power civilian Mission Critical systems is a smart choice.

 

Learn more about the DCAC 2019 here or contact Orion Talent to get started recruiting for your Mission Critical company today.