Building Africa’s digital infrastructure workforce: new training and placement initiative tackles data centre talent shortage
09 July 2025
In response to Africa’s growing digital infrastructure demands and the widening talent gap in the data centre (DC) sector, a new ground-breaking initiative is being launched to develop a local and future-ready workforce for the continent. This pioneering project, born out of a collaboration between industry experts, training providers, and placement specialists, will build Africa’s first scalable data centre talent pool — sourced, trained, certified, and placed in jobs.
The problem: a growing industry without a talent pipeline
Africa’s data centre industry is booming, yet it faces a severe talent crisis. The market is young, training is inaccessible, and most available courses are either unaffordable, irrelevant to Africa, or lack local certification. Existing recruitment models often lead to poaching and recycling the same limited talent pool—exacerbating rather than solving the shortage.
“Young people across the continent are eager for opportunity, but the bridges between them and these high-growth industries are broken or missing. As digital infrastructure accelerates, the urgency for workforce development becomes critical,” says Mary Kariuki (ADCA). “We’re not just solving for jobs, we’re building careers, industries, and futures.”
The solution: the Africa Data Centre Talent Project
Backed by the Digital Investment Facility (DIF), Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA), and led by IBTC, alongside talent specialists DC Elite and curriculum advisors like Lee Perrin at CBRE, the Africa Data Centre Talent Project is set on developing a source-train-place solution that will grow the talent pool in Africa.
The initiative will:
• Source high-potential youth and career-switchers through a national recruitment drive.
• Train them using available training, as well as bespoke curriculum tailored for Africa — accessible, affordable, and aligned to global standards.
• Place them in real-world DC work environments through strategic partnerships with operators and employers.
By offering open entry, micro-certifications, hybrid study models (online, offline, and blended), and embedding workplace experience directly into the curriculum, the programme ensures that graduates are job-ready and future-proofed. “This isn’t just training — it’s infrastructure for the talent economy,” says Nikki Maritz, (IBTC CEO). “We’re not just solving for jobs, we’re building careers, industries, and futures.”
Lee Perrin (CBRE: MEA Director and ADCA Board Member) encourages workplace partners to participate in a student placement model and for existing course providers, DC operators and all key stakeholders to reach out and become involved in The Africa Data Centre Talent Project.
Built for Africa, by Africa
Curricula will be continually updated by educational experts at IBTC to reflect Africa’s unique market needs, and delivered in multiple countries through scalable training and support systems. Whether a learner is in Nairobi, Lagos, or Cape Town, they will receive flexible training, student support, and career opportunities with local and global employers.
Get involved
Whether you’re a funder, a DC operator, or a young person looking to break into tech, this is your invitation to be part of Africa’s digital workforce revolution.
For media inquiries, partnership information, or enrolment details:
📧 Mary Kariuki (Digital Infrastructure Consultant at the Africa Data Centres Association)
🌐 Visit: www.africadca.org and https://ibtc.co.za/stand-alone/data-centre-talent
📞 Contact: +254 720811478 (Whatsapp)
