GITNUXREPORT 2025

Upskilling And Reskilling In The Data Center Industry Statistics

Upskilling vital as data center industry demand, automation, and technologies grow.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking • Reputable sources • Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

54% of data center technicians need reskilling to manage emerging technologies like AI and IoT

Statistic 2

Less than 20% of the current data center workforce has formal certification in emerging fields

Statistic 3

The average time to fully reskill a data center technician is approximately 6 months

Statistic 4

The global data center industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% through 2027, increasing demand for skilled workers

Statistic 5

85% of organizations report a skills gap in data center operations

Statistic 6

65% of data center operators anticipate a skills shortage within the next five years

Statistic 7

47% of data center technicians lack knowledge of emerging cooling technologies, highlighting a significant reskilling need

Statistic 8

73% of data center managers believe skill shortages are limiting capacity expansion

Statistic 9

45% of organizations report difficulty in sourcing qualified data center technicians, indicating recruitment challenges

Statistic 10

78% of data center professionals believe upskilling is essential for career growth

Statistic 11

65% of data center managers have participated in reskilling programs in the last year

Statistic 12

70% of data center companies plan to increase training investments in the next two years

Statistic 13

42% of data center professionals feel unprepared for cybersecurity threats, highlighting the need for upskilling

Statistic 14

The average tenure of data center professionals undergoing upskilling is 3.2 years

Statistic 15

60% of data center staff who received recent training reported higher productivity

Statistic 16

52% of data center companies have implemented virtual training programs during the pandemic

Statistic 17

76% of data center workers see upskilling as critical to adapting to new technologies

Statistic 18

69% of data center professionals believe that reskilling is necessary due to automation

Statistic 19

Companies investing in employee training report 2x higher retention rates

Statistic 20

55% of data center professionals lack skills in cloud management, indicating a need for upskilling

Statistic 21

The adoption of green data center technologies is projected to increase demand for specialized upskilling by 30% over the next 5 years

Statistic 22

72% of data center project managers believe continuous learning impacts project success

Statistic 23

48% of data center companies plan to partner with educational institutions for workforce development

Statistic 24

81% of employees in the data center industry believe that skill development programs improve morale

Statistic 25

80% of data center professionals have undergone some form of digital or technical upskilling in the past year

Statistic 26

90% of data center organizations want to implement AI-driven automation, requiring new skill sets

Statistic 27

62% of current data center tech roles will require new skills due to technological advancements by 2025

Statistic 28

The global demand for data center skills is expected to grow by 40% over the next three years

Statistic 29

58% of data center companies see increased automation as a factor increasing the need for reskilling

Statistic 30

Investment in upskilling initiatives in the data center industry increased by 25% in 2022 compared to previous year

Statistic 31

83% of mid-sized data center firms are prioritizing workforce development programs

Statistic 32

64% of data center professionals consider cross-training in multiple disciplines as a key skill for future success

Statistic 33

77% of data center workers who received recent reskilling training feel more confident in their roles

Statistic 34

55% of organizations plan to adopt AI and machine learning tools in their data centers within the next two years, fueling demand for new skills

Statistic 35

66% of data center firms have increased budgets for training and development over the past year

Statistic 36

39% of data center professionals believe their organization lacks sufficient training programs, indicating a gap to fill

Statistic 37

60% of workers in the data center industry express interest in acquiring certifications in emerging fields

Statistic 38

85% of surveyed data center organizations acknowledge that upskilling contributes to better operational efficiency

Statistic 39

71% of data center decision-makers consider reskilling essential for digital transformation initiatives

Statistic 40

48% of data center companies have established partnerships with online education platforms for workforce training

Statistic 41

75% of data center staff believe ongoing training is vital to keeping up with industry changes

Statistic 42

53% of data center organizations report a rising trend of remote upskilling programs, improving access and flexibility

Statistic 43

69% of data center managers see automation as an opportunity for skill enhancement rather than job replacement

Statistic 44

The investment in green technology training in data centers increased by 35% in 2023, underscoring a focus on sustainable skills

Statistic 45

67% of data center engineers have received training in data analytics and machine learning, indicating a trend towards data-driven operations

Statistic 46

81% of organizations report that upskilling has led to faster adoption of new technologies

Statistic 47

72% of data center professionals consider cross-functional training as a strategic priority, supporting operational resilience

Statistic 48

59% of companies plan to increase their budget allocation for technological upskilling in the next year

Statistic 49

73% of data center industry leaders agree that reskilling initiatives are key to competitive advantage

Slide 1 of 49

Sources

Our Reports have been cited by:

Trust Badges - Publications that have cited our reports

Key Highlights

78% of data center professionals believe upskilling is essential for career growth
65% of data center managers have participated in reskilling programs in the last year
The global data center industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% through 2027, increasing demand for skilled workers
70% of data center companies plan to increase training investments in the next two years
54% of data center technicians need reskilling to manage emerging technologies like AI and IoT
42% of data center professionals feel unprepared for cybersecurity threats, highlighting the need for upskilling
The average tenure of data center professionals undergoing upskilling is 3.2 years
85% of organizations report a skills gap in data center operations
60% of data center staff who received recent training reported higher productivity
52% of data center companies have implemented virtual training programs during the pandemic
76% of data center workers see upskilling as critical to adapting to new technologies
69% of data center professionals believe that reskilling is necessary due to automation
Less than 20% of the current data center workforce has formal certification in emerging fields

In an industry poised for exponential growth, where 78% of data center professionals see upskilling as vital for career advancement and 85% of organizations recognize that skill gaps hinder operational efficiency, continuous learning and reskilling are emerging as the key drivers for success in the rapidly evolving data center landscape.

Employee Training and Reskilling Challenges

54% of data center technicians need reskilling to manage emerging technologies like AI and IoT
Less than 20% of the current data center workforce has formal certification in emerging fields
The average time to fully reskill a data center technician is approximately 6 months

Employee Training and Reskilling Challenges Interpretation

With over half of data center technicians needing reskilling amid rapid AI and IoT advancements—and fewer than one in five holding formal certifications—the industry faces a critical six-month race against time to bridge the talent gap and keep pace with technological evolution.

Industry Growth and Technological Adoption

The global data center industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% through 2027, increasing demand for skilled workers

Industry Growth and Technological Adoption Interpretation

As the data center industry powers ahead at a 4.2% CAGR through 2027, the surge underscores a pressing need for upskilled and reskilled professionals to keep pace with the digital acceleration—because in this high-stakes data race, expertise is the ultimate currency.

Skills Gap and Workforce Shortages

85% of organizations report a skills gap in data center operations
65% of data center operators anticipate a skills shortage within the next five years
47% of data center technicians lack knowledge of emerging cooling technologies, highlighting a significant reskilling need
73% of data center managers believe skill shortages are limiting capacity expansion
45% of organizations report difficulty in sourcing qualified data center technicians, indicating recruitment challenges

Skills Gap and Workforce Shortages Interpretation

With nearly nine out of ten organizations recognizing a skills gap and over two-thirds fearing a looming shortage, the data center industry faces a critical need to invest in reskilling—or risk capacity constraints increasingly dictated by a talent tsunami they're unprepared to surf.

Workforce Skills and Upskilling Initiatives

78% of data center professionals believe upskilling is essential for career growth
65% of data center managers have participated in reskilling programs in the last year
70% of data center companies plan to increase training investments in the next two years
42% of data center professionals feel unprepared for cybersecurity threats, highlighting the need for upskilling
The average tenure of data center professionals undergoing upskilling is 3.2 years
60% of data center staff who received recent training reported higher productivity
52% of data center companies have implemented virtual training programs during the pandemic
76% of data center workers see upskilling as critical to adapting to new technologies
69% of data center professionals believe that reskilling is necessary due to automation
Companies investing in employee training report 2x higher retention rates
55% of data center professionals lack skills in cloud management, indicating a need for upskilling
The adoption of green data center technologies is projected to increase demand for specialized upskilling by 30% over the next 5 years
72% of data center project managers believe continuous learning impacts project success
48% of data center companies plan to partner with educational institutions for workforce development
81% of employees in the data center industry believe that skill development programs improve morale
80% of data center professionals have undergone some form of digital or technical upskilling in the past year
90% of data center organizations want to implement AI-driven automation, requiring new skill sets
62% of current data center tech roles will require new skills due to technological advancements by 2025
The global demand for data center skills is expected to grow by 40% over the next three years
58% of data center companies see increased automation as a factor increasing the need for reskilling
Investment in upskilling initiatives in the data center industry increased by 25% in 2022 compared to previous year
83% of mid-sized data center firms are prioritizing workforce development programs
64% of data center professionals consider cross-training in multiple disciplines as a key skill for future success
77% of data center workers who received recent reskilling training feel more confident in their roles
55% of organizations plan to adopt AI and machine learning tools in their data centers within the next two years, fueling demand for new skills
66% of data center firms have increased budgets for training and development over the past year
39% of data center professionals believe their organization lacks sufficient training programs, indicating a gap to fill
60% of workers in the data center industry express interest in acquiring certifications in emerging fields
85% of surveyed data center organizations acknowledge that upskilling contributes to better operational efficiency
71% of data center decision-makers consider reskilling essential for digital transformation initiatives
48% of data center companies have established partnerships with online education platforms for workforce training
75% of data center staff believe ongoing training is vital to keeping up with industry changes
53% of data center organizations report a rising trend of remote upskilling programs, improving access and flexibility
69% of data center managers see automation as an opportunity for skill enhancement rather than job replacement
The investment in green technology training in data centers increased by 35% in 2023, underscoring a focus on sustainable skills
67% of data center engineers have received training in data analytics and machine learning, indicating a trend towards data-driven operations
81% of organizations report that upskilling has led to faster adoption of new technologies
72% of data center professionals consider cross-functional training as a strategic priority, supporting operational resilience
59% of companies plan to increase their budget allocation for technological upskilling in the next year
73% of data center industry leaders agree that reskilling initiatives are key to competitive advantage

Workforce Skills and Upskilling Initiatives Interpretation

As data centers hurtle into a future powered by AI, automation, and green tech, the industry’s nearly universal belief that upskilling and reskilling are essential not just for staying afloat but for thriving signals that continuous learning isn’t optional—it's the new baseline for success in the digital age.