30572_Kao Data Critical Careers_Pages - Flipbook - Page 54
Libby
Milne
Project Manager,
Buro Four
How did you get involved with digital
infrastructure?
y career has been a mix of trial, error, and a lot of 昀椀guring things out
along the way. I started down the education path with sixth form. I
then studied archaeology for a while. Went to college and switched
to business studies, but none of these options felt right. Eventually, I earned
enough UCAS points to start a sports science degree, but I left after two months.
Afterward, I worked retail jobs and spent time abroad, which gave me some clarity
about what I wanted—and didn’t want—in a career.
M
When I came back to the UK, I had a conversation with my dad, who worked in
construction. He took me to an open day at a construction site, and that’s where
something clicked. I got to see all the different roles and innovations—BIM,
sustainability, 3D modelling—and it caught my interest. I spoke with university
lecturers and nearly went into civil engineering but was advised that project
management might be a better 昀椀t for my skills.
I started studying project management, and in my 昀椀nal year, I split my time
between university and working at a consultancy. My projects were mainly in life
sciences and defence research, but then my company suggested I try working on
a data centre project. I had no idea what a data centre was at the time, but I gave
it a shot—and a couple of months in, I was hooked.
I joined the data centre team full-time, and now I focus entirely on these
projects. At 昀椀rst, it was overwhelming—昀椀guring out what a data centre even is,
understanding all the components, and then building one. But once I got the
hang of it, I found I really enjoyed it.
The thing I 昀椀nd fascinating in talking to others in the industry is that there is no
set career path into it. There aren’t university courses or clear training programs—
most of us stumble into it without even knowing what it is. But that’s part of what
makes it exciting. You learn on the job, and every day brings something new.
Looking back, I never imagined I’d be here, but I’m so glad I found my way here.
54
