As Indonesia’s economy becomes increasingly digital, data centers are not just infrastructure—they are the backbone of innovation. But infrastructure alone won’t ensure success: human capital is the critical missing link.
The Global Talent Crisis
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A 2023 Uptime Institute survey showed 58% of global operators struggle to fill data center roles, especially in engineering and operations.nusantara-academy.comBusiness Insider+1Uptime Institute+2uschamber.com+2JLL+5IEEE Spectrum+5EdgeConneX+5
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50% struggle to hire junior/mid‑level staff, over 40% cannot staff electrical roles, and about one-third lack mechanical technicians.Site Selection
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42% face retention issues, signaling rising pressure on existing teams.JLL
Regional Challenges: Asia-Pacific & Indonesia
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In Asia-Pacific, almost 60% of hyperscale operators cite talent shortages as a barrier to growth.Market Data Forecast
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Southeast Asia faces its own crisis: a shortage of skilled data center professionals due to inadequate training, poor career awareness, and infrastructure gaps—we are part of a global shortfall that could reach 4.3 million by 2030.ARC Group
The Aging Workforce & Skill Gaps
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In Asia-Pacific (excluding China), only 14% of data center staff are below 30, while 28% are above 55. This presents a looming expertise gap as older staff retire.Uptime Institute
The Technical Bottleneck: Electricians
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In the U.S., demand for data center electricians is rising sharply, with an expected 11% shortage by 2033—triple the rate of other jobs. This shortage could significantly slow down AI-driven data center expansion.Barron’s
DataGarda’s Strategic Path Forward
DataGarda is not just witnessing the digital shift—we are empowering it. To bridge the talent divide, we are:
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Developing role-specific training and certifications in critical technical areas.
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Partnering with academia to infuse data center education into STEM and vocational tracks.
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Engaging industry, government, and communities to raise career awareness and pipeline diversity.
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Encouraging inclusive hiring, bringing new voices and talent into a traditionally narrow field.
Closing Thoughts
Infrastructure is visible—but talent is invisible and irreplaceable. Without it, even the most advanced facilities fall short. With strategic collaboration and investment in people, DataGarda stands ready to build not just data centers, but the architects of Indonesia’s digital future.
