STT Global Data Centres India unveils an Experience Centre for data centre skill development in Bengaluru

STT Global Data Centres India (STT GDC India), as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, today unveiled an Experience Centre at its STT Bengaluru DC 3 facility in collaboration with Schneider Electric India Foundation (SEIF). The Experience Centre located in STT GDC India’s Centre of Excellence was inaugurated by Smt. K. Ratna Prabha, IAS (Retired.) Former Chief Secretary, Chairperson of Karnataka Skill Development Authority, Government of Karnataka. This initiative aims to address the existing skill gap in the industry and provide students with practical training on data centre-related projects in a live simulation data centre environment. This unique corporate citizenship initiative by STT GDC India aims to help students build essential skills for a career in the data centre industry and support their overall development through life skills coaching as well.

K. Ratna Prabha, IAS (Retired.) Former Chief Secretary, Chairperson of Karnataka Skill Development Authority, Government of Karnataka, shared her views and vision for the project, “A great push for the data centre industry has poised it to become the fastest growing segment in India, given the rapid rise in data generation and the country’s evolving digital ecosystem. The Experience Centre will ensure that the segment keeps growing and shall address the lack of skilled workforce in this space across India. The vision we hold for the state and eventually for the entire country is to better enable our youth by helping them harness relevant skillsets and raise their employability prospects.”

On the unveiling, Sumit Mukhija, CEO, STT GDC India said, “As a leader in the data centre colocation market, we have always believed in pioneering initiatives that add value to the ecosystem. Skilled manpower has been a persistent challenge faced by the industry that needs to be addressed. Our Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru is a vital step in that direction. The purpose of this Experience Centre at our Centre of Excellence is to provide a platform for interested candidates to up-skill in alignment with industry requirements complete with practical learning opportunities, thereby enabling them to increase their employability quotient.”

Skill shortage, especially in technology powered industries, is evident in every sector of the economy. To reduce the demand supply gap of entry level skilled workforce in Data Centre Industry, Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy management and STT GDC India have come together to provide vocational training in this field. This is in alignment with Schneider Electric’s commitment to SDG 8 of decent work and economic workforce and skill India mission of GOI.

Speaking on the occasion Anil Chaudhry, CEO- Schneider Electric India Pvt Ltd. & Zone President, Greater India said, “As we move towards a more electric and digital future, it has become critical to ensure that our youth are equipped with the necessary skills, opportunities, and training required, to support this digitised economy. With the launch of the Experience Centre at the STT GDC India Centre of Excellence (CoE), we aim to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of skilled workers in the Data Centre industry as well as contribute towards the socio-economic recovery which our country aspires for. Through this collaboration with STT GDC India, we seek to reach out to every segment of the society with the necessary training and education programmes required for tech empowerment and sustainable livelihood.”

Schneider Electric believes that access to energy and digital is a basic human right. The company has been working towards empowering the people from financially disadvantaged background for inclusive growth through its social commitment-SEIF. The aim of the foundation is to help people change their lives through access to energy. The Schneider Electric India Foundation focuses on education, entrepreneurship, employment, electrification, and emergency.

Raising the bar to upskill industry talent

STT GDC India has formally partnered with Don Bosco Tech Society (DB Tech) and Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF), two leading institutes in Bengaluru, and over 50 students have been shortlisted from each institute for the training program combining classroom with experiential learning at the Experience Centre.

Features of the Experience Centre housed within the STT GDC India Centre of Excellence for data centre skill development and its training program include:

· A total of 11,000 sq. ft. of area housed in the STT Bengaluru DC 3 facility dedicated to training and development provides a live simulation experience which will allow participating students to derive valuable hands-on experience with relevant equipment. This allows students to gain an in-depth understanding combined with practical knowledge that would put them in good stead to navigate various operational scenarios in their future jobs.

· A comprehensive curriculum that taps on STT GDC India’s deep industry experience and extensive reach will cover all the key areas relating to data centre operations including mechanical, electrical, electronic and building management systems. This has been developed by a team from STT GDC India in close collaboration with the faculty of the partnering institutes.

· Behavioural and soft skills training will also be embedded in the course content to ensure a holistic learning experience and industry readiness amongst the participating students.

· STT GDC India has proposed to initiate a mentor-mentee program where STT GDC India and potential partners assigns mentors to small groups of students to guide and coach them through the initial phase of their careers.

· An accredited Data Centre Professional Certificate will be awarded to students upon successful course completion and qualifying test results.

· A defined process and criteria for potential employment placement in data centre providers, potential partners or other adjacent industries will also be established for trained students.

The training can also be leveraged for suitable opportunities in other sectors such as commercial retail spaces, on-premise IT Infrastructure management across enterprises and high-end facilities management.

Commending the initiative, Father George Mathew, Executive Director, DB Tech said, “I am personally monitoring this initiative and plan to take it to the next level and other cities as well. At Don Bosco Tech, we have shortlisted 23 technically qualified students who got selected post a rigorous process and interviews and currently undergoing training at the Don Bosco Tech Facility at Bengaluru. Don Bosco Tech and STT GDC India have formed a committee and the team is working closely in driving this initiative.”

“We are truly grateful to STT GDC India for supporting this initiative and providing the necessary infrastructure and equipment enabling us to empower our youth and allow students to have a live data centre knowledge and experience,” said B.V. Sudharshan, Dy. MD, Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF), Bengaluru.

Both institutes have set up the required processes, roadmap, and evaluation methodology as proposed and documented by STT GDC India. The Experience Centre at the STT GDC India Centre of Excellence will further supplement the institutes’ classroom infrastructure as required, providing valuable practical experience in a simulated data centre environment, given the adverse impact it would have on business continuity.