30572_Kao Data Critical Careers_Pages - Flipbook - Page 10
What do we need to do to
attract more female engineers?
What are the most exciting opportunities in
the data centre industry right now?
think the key is raising awareness about the career
opportunities available in this 昀椀eld, highlighting
how dynamic and rewarding these roles can be. It’s
important to emphasise that success is really about the
effort you put in. It’s not about anything else, at least in
my experience.
here are several exciting opportunities in the data centre industry right
now, particularly around sustainability and community engagement.
There is so much work being done on exploring alternative and more
ef昀椀cient ways of powering data centres. It’s not just about 昀椀nding new energy
sources but also optimising the use of the energy we currently produce, whether
through advancements in electrical and mechanical infrastructure or through
software enhancements.
I
Technical operations might seem demanding, and sure,
life stages and family commitments play a part, but
these are considerations that should be managed just as
they would be for anyone.
Traditionally, women might not be aware they could
have a successful career in design engineering and
technical operations. There’s been a historical view that
engineering is more suited to men, and that women
have different, perhaps less technical, career paths
available. We need to change this perception.
The 昀椀eld of digital infrastructure is booming with
development and investment—it’s a hot topic. It
would be a real shame if women missed out on these
opportunities just because of outdated ways of thinking.
T
We’ve seen in recent years that data centres often receive negative attention due
to their energy consumption, yet the demand for digital services continues to grow.
Addressing this paradox by developing alternative ways to power data centres
and enhancing grid ef昀椀ciency could signi昀椀cantly mitigate such criticisms. The push
towards sustainability, particularly in terms of cooling and electrical systems, opens
up myriad avenues for innovation.
I’m also excited by the opportunity for data centres to positively impact the
communities in which they operate. This includes not only improving how data
centres can contribute to local communities but also involving these communities
in the development process. For example, bringing in apprentices can provide
invaluable early career exposure, educating young individuals about data centres,
their operations, and their signi昀椀cance in the digital infrastructure. I’m truly happy to
be able to mentor young and driven people and help shape their career journeys.
This not only bene昀椀ts individuals but can catalyse community development, creating
a domino effect of positive changes.
There’s a lot of potential to make a positive difference not only within the industry but
also in the broader societal context. We’ve only just begun to tap into what’s possible
in terms of community impact, and there’s so much more to explore and implement
that could truly transform how data centres are perceived and how they operate.
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