Mexico. The Mexican Association of Data Centers, MEXDC, presented the results of the first study on professional profiles and talent needs in the Data Center industry in Mexico, revealing the reality of a critical gap in the training, visibility and availability of technical talent and essential soft skills to sustain the accelerated growth of the sector.
Taking into account that the MEXDC Data Center Market Study estimates that, by 2030, the country will reach more than 18 billion dollars in direct investment and more than 54 billion in indirect investment, in addition to generating almost 100 thousand new jobs, the Association carried out a Data Center Profiles Report, which collected information from companies in Mexico specialized in technology, critical infrastructure and Data Center operation, seeking to identify visibility and talent gaps, the most in-demand profiles, the available training offer and the soft skills necessary to boost the sector over the next five years.
One of the most relevant findings is that the areas considered most critical for the operation of Data Centers are Operation and Maintenance (23%) and Data Center Architecture (23%). They are closely followed by Infrastructure Design (19%) and Energy Management (16%), which shows that the operational and technical core is a priority for the companies that support the country's digital infrastructure.
However, this need contrasts with an alarming shortage of specialized talent. The lack of professionals is mainly concentrated in electrical and mechanical engineering (39%) and in middle management for Data Center operation (32%). This reflects an urgent discrepancy between what the industry demands and what the labor market offers.
More than two-thirds of companies reported serious difficulties in filling vacancies in the last 12 months, evidencing a crisis of qualified technical talent that compromises the sector's ability to expand and operate reliably.
The document also exposes a worrying perception regarding academic training: only 6% of the companies surveyed declared themselves "very satisfied" with the preparation of graduates from local universities. In contrast, 67% expressed a low level of satisfaction with the current training.
"These results underscore the urgent need to rethink collaboration schemes between educational institutions and companies in the sector. The most critical areas – energy, operation, maintenance and infrastructure design – require academic and technical programs more aligned with the demands of the industry, as well as theoretical-practical training schemes that allow a more efficient labor transition," said Amet Novillo, president of MEXDC.
Although companies recognize the value of professional internships, trainee programs and linkage schemes with universities, only 10% actively participate in initiatives of this type, 45% do so in a limited way, and 29% show interest in starting, which demonstrates an area of strategic opportunity for the country.
However, these results contrast with the progress made in the last year: MEXDC has signed eight academic collaboration agreements with universities and technological universities in the State of Querétaro and has consolidated the MEXDC Masterclass academic program, which today reaches more than ten universities in different states of the country.
Thanks to these actions – complemented by guided tours of data centers that are part of the Association, as well as by the launch of the MEXDC Scholarship Program, which opened its first call for 20 students – hundreds of young people have had access to specialized content and a direct vision of the real operation of the country's digital infrastructure.
Although this effort still represents an initial contribution in the face of the magnitude of the challenge, it constitutes the solid beginning of a major transformation in the training of technical talent that the industry demands.
"The lack of understanding about the strategic relevance of this industry – which supports banking services, telecommunications, e-commerce, streaming, artificial intelligence and much of the digital economy – continues to limit its ability to attract professionals with high technical potential," said Amet Novillo.
He added that the actions already undertaken by the MEXDC, such as masterclasses, academic agreements, training visits, scholarships and educational forums, show that early dissemination and visibility of the sector do generate real interest in the new generations. He stressed that expanding these initiatives with university fairs, dissemination programs, visibility campaigns and greater presence of the industry in academic spaces will be key to accelerating the development of the talent that Mexico needs.
The MEXDC points out that the future of the Data Center sector in Mexico – and, consequently, of the country's digital ecosystem – depends directly on the ability to attract, develop and retain highly qualified technical talent.
"The MEXDC study makes it clear that the challenge is not only technical: it requires strengthening human skills, promoting practical training programs, aligning academia with industry and making visible a sector that, although essential, remains largely unknown to new generations. This moment represents a unique opportunity to build the talent that will guarantee the operational continuity, innovation and growth of the digital infrastructure that Mexico needs today and in the next decade," concluded Adriana Rivera, executive director of MEXDC.
