At the infra/STRUCTURE Summit 2024 held at the Wynn, Las Vegas, Elya McCleave, CEO and founder of Innovorg, shed light on the industry’s most pressing issue: Workforce development and talent shortages, requiring innovative solutions to bridge the skills gap.
Read on to learn more or skip ahead and watch the full interview here.
According to McCleave, the skills gap and talent shortage in the data center and cloud sectors have reached critical levels. She cited a recent Gartner report, stating, “By 2025 we’re going to have 300,000 unfilled jobs in the data center services market alone.” This staggering figure underscores the urgency of addressing the talent pipeline in the industry, catapulted by the grey tsunami, a growing older workforce that will be exiting the industry.
The challenge is not just about filling positions but also about meeting evolving expectations. McCleave noted, “The expectations for the roles and employees are growing, literally most of our clients are growing superhumans.” The increasing demand for highly skilled professionals puts additional pressure on companies to attract, retain, and develop talent.
Elya’s company, Innovorg, specializes in skills building and education for the digital infrastructure industry, and is at the forefront of addressing these challenges. McCleave emphasized the importance of building a framework in their approach: “There’s a fundamental element that we are focused on, which is the competency framework, a skills catalog, which really is a fundamental step for any company to have clarity on products, services and technology.” This competency framework serves as a foundation for developing targeted training programs and career paths for employees in the data center industry.
Innovorg is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to enhance its educational platforms. McCleave explained, “The way we’re using AI is for content aggregation, content curation, content development, and quiz simulations…” The company has also launched AI-driven development plans and is in the process of releasing AI-powered career pathing and high-potential employee programs.
As the industry evolves, McCleave stressed the importance of preparing the workforce for future challenges, particularly in light of the AI revolution. She urged companies to invest in upskilling and cross-skilling their employees, stating, “I think it’s important to prepare your people for the future and I would love more companies to make those investments, building up other people for another 5-10 years to come.”
As the data center industry continues to grow and transform, addressing the talent shortage through innovative education and skills development programs will be crucial. Companies like Innovorg are leading the charge in creating solutions that not only fill existing gaps but also prepare the workforce for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.
Tune in to watch and listen to the entire interview discussion here.
For more information about Innovorg, visit: www.innovorg.com.
