Know an Electrical Trade? Why a Data Centre Job Could Be Your Perfect Match
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There’s a bit of a misconception that data centres sit squarely within the tech industry. While that may be true of the services they provide, it’s certainly not when it comes to building and maintaining these behemoths. That’s a job for the construction industry.
As data centres run 24/7, they heavily rely on skilled electricians to manage and maintain the electrical infrastructure and systems that power their continuous operation.
For anyone with experience in the electrical trade, this article explains what data centre jobs involve and the exciting career benefits they provide.
What Do Data Centres Do?
Data centres are critical infrastructure in the modern digital age. They’re responsible for hosting and managing the vast amounts of data and services that power our online world. Mobile apps, office clouds, digital banking, social networking sites and streaming platforms wouldn’t exist without them.
Each data centre is a specialised facility purpose-built to house and manage a large collection of computer servers, networking equipment and other components essential for large-scale computing. This includes processing, storing and delivering data and applications.
No data centres can be constructed or maintained without qualified electricians. They’re needed to design, install and maintain the highly complex electrical systems housed within each centre.
What Roles Are Available for Electricians in Data Centres?
There are plenty of data centre jobs available for those with electrical trade qualifications and experience. Here are three main ones:
1. Data Centre Electrical Engineer: During a data centre’s construction, these engineers play a crucial role in the design and planning phase. They create and implement the electrical systems, including power distribution, backup generators and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to ensure continuous power to the equipment. They also make sure the electrical infrastructure meets safety and regulatory standards.
2. Data Centre Electrician: These professionals install, maintain and repair the electrical systems within data centres. This includes working on power distribution systems, backup generators, UPS, electrical circuits and the vast air conditioning systems that cool the servers.
3. Electrical Technician: Electrical technicians help install and maintain electrical components and systems within data centres. They troubleshoot electrical issues and perform preventive maintenance tasks alongside qualified electricians.
These roles highlight the important part skilled electricians and other electrical professionals play in the construction and operation of data centres, especially when it comes to the reliability, safety and efficiency of the electrical systems within them.
Salary and Working Conditions
In our inaugural Data Centre Remuneration Report, we surveyed almost 350 Australian data centre professionals across all management levels. When it comes to data centre engineer job salaries, we found the following averages:
· Average base salary - $112,000
· Average total package - $129,000
· 90% receiving additional bonus or commission
Senior Design Electrical Engineer
· Average base salary - $134,000
· Average total package - $153,000
· 67% receiving additional bonus or commission
Principal or Associate Electrical Engineer
· Average base salary - $176,000
· Average total package - $202,000
· 70% receiving additional bonus or commission
Aside from the great pay, there are even more excellent reasons to consider working in the data centre industry. One is the exceptional job security, with the APAC data centre industry reporting a 300% growth in capacity over the past five years. The APAC data centre construction market is to expected reach a value of $24.17 billion USD by 2028, up from $15.17 billion in 2022. This has created an immense amount of demand for workers in the sector, placing candidates in the driver’s seat.
Another appealing perk of working in an electrician or data centre engineer job is the fantastic working conditions. Of those surveyed in our remuneration report:
· 66% feel valued for their work
· 73% find their role fulfilling
· 95% would recommend the data centre industry to others
Lifestyle factors are also a big drawcard for data centre employees. Unlike construction sites, which tend to be rough and dirty working environments (especially in the warmer months), a data centre job can have you working in a dust-free and cool environment all year round. If that sounds appealing, a data centre job could be your perfect match!
Qualifications and Experience Required for Data Centres
To work in an electrical role in a data centre, you must be a fully qualified electrician or electrical engineer. In addition, any direct experience working in a data centre or with USPs is a huge tick when applying for data centre jobs, such as data centre electrical engineers.
If you don’t have these qualifications yet, it’s a good idea to gain foundational knowledge of how data centres operate and the electrical systems they use. If you love learning new things on the job, as a qualified electrician you’ll also have many opportunities to undertake further training at work.
One of the best ways to get into the industry is to engage with a recruitment specialist who knows the data centre industry inside-out, like us here at Mission Critical. We can offer you advice about how to enter the sector with an electrical trade background and help you with the all-important interview prep.
Ready for a career shift? Please let us know how we can support your move into the highly rewarding world of the data centre industry, whether it’s just advice or to see what open data centre jobs we currently have.
