30572_Kao Data Critical Careers_Pages - Flipbook - Page 53
What do your day-to-day activities
look like?
y day-to-day activities in the data centre can really vary, which
keeps things interesting. On some days, I might be involved
in installation work, and this can differ quite a bit from one
site to another, especially since we operate across multiple sites. Some
of these sites are being expanded, so they have contractors on site,
and I often work alongside them.
M
I also spend a lot of time shadowing technicians, getting involved in
tasks like isolations, writing permits, and conducting daily checks. It’s
a very supportive environment, and everyone is really keen on helping
each other succeed. There’s a strong culture of asking questions and
learning as much as we can on the job.
We do rotations too. For example, I’ve just 昀椀nished a stint with our
projects team and am currently with the critical facilities team. Here,
the focus shifts more towards maintenance—looking after the building,
addressing any issues that arise, that kind of thing. The projects side,
on the other hand, is more about installation work, which is great for
both my college course and my future career, giving me hands-on
experience with the installations.
If I had to pick a favorite part, it would be the installation work. I really
enjoy the hands-on aspect of it. Plus, just understanding how a data
centre operates is fascinating—how the whole building runs, and how
we manage to keep things going even if there’s a power loss. It’s all
quite intriguing and rewarding.
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What advice would you give to encourage
someone to join the industry?
I
f I were to offer advice to someone considering this industry, I’d tell
them to be persistent. It can get tough, but sticking it out really pays
off in the end.
The support you get is also a huge part of why this is a great 昀椀eld to
get into. It’s not just the help from your company, which is already great,
but there’s also this sense of community among apprentices and other
colleagues. Everyone really wants you to succeed, and there’s always
someone to turn to if you have questions or need a bit of guidance.
As an apprentice, you’re not going through this alone. At my company,
for instance, there are 24 of us, so you’re surrounded by people who are
in the same boat as you. If you’re struggling with something, chances are
someone else is too, and you can 昀椀gure things out together.
And a piece of advice that’s stuck with me is pretty simple but important:
just do your best. You might not get everything right the 昀椀rst time, and
that’s totally 昀椀ne. It’s all part of the learning process. Just keep trying your
best, soak up as much as you can, and keep pushing forward. That effort
will make a big difference.
