Data Centers in Georgia

Georgia's data center industry thrives thanks to its strategic location for financial transactions and a growing cybersecurity sector. With a robust telecom infrastructure attracting global companies like Google and AT&T, the state offers a business-friendly environment and access to a skilled workforce. These factors combine to establish Georgia as a premier hub for data center operations.

Why is it Thriving?

  • Strategic Location for Data Transmission: Georgia processes 70% of all financial transactions in the U.S., positioning it at the core of data sharing. Its cybersecurity and IT sectors require robust data storage solutions, making the state a prime destination for data centers.

  • Established Telecom Infrastructure: Two major fiber routes intersect in metro Atlanta, providing high-speed data transmission. The presence of key research networks like Internet2 and the National LambdaRail further boosts the state's connectivity, attracting global data center companies such as Google, AT&T, and QTS.

  • Business-Friendly Environment: Georgia offers a low-cost, reliable utility infrastructure with a choice of three major power suppliers. This, combined with low risks of natural disasters and business disruption, ensures a stable environment for data center operations.

  • Access to Skilled Workforce: With a population of over 10 million, Georgia provides access to a large, skilled talent pool. The state's universities award more than 2,400 IT degrees annually, ensuring a steady pipeline of tech talent for data center growth.

  • Global Business Hub: Georgia's robust logistics infrastructure, including the busiest airport in the world and a rapidly growing port, supports the thriving data center industry. Its geographic advantages make it an ideal location for companies looking to expand or establish data centers.

What are the Key Data Center Jobs?

Here are some examples of the diverse range of senior roles within the industry: 

Senior Network Engineer

  • Advanced Network Design and Implementation: Expertise in designing, configuring, and implementing robust LAN and WAN networks, with a focus on hybrid cloud and data center environments. This includes a deep understanding of network architecture principles for Azure and AWS connectivity.

  • Firewall and Security Management: Strong knowledge of network security protocols, with hands-on experience in managing firewalls, securing network access, and enforcing IT security policies to protect data integrity and prevent unauthorized access.

  • Troubleshooting and Problem Resolution: High-level troubleshooting skills to diagnose and resolve complex network and connectivity issues, especially in high-stakes environments like data centers, to ensure maximum network uptime and efficiency.

  • Project Management and Documentation: Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, document system configurations and standards, and ensure tasks align with business requirements and IT best practices. This includes creating project documentation as a Technical Authority.

  • Infrastructure Maintenance and Upgrades: Proficiency in upgrading network infrastructure to ensure stability and resilience, including firmware updates, network optimization, and conducting performance audits across data centers to maintain 24/7 operational standards.

  • Team Leadership and Mentorship: Strong leadership and mentoring skills, with the ability to guide junior engineers, supervise on-site staff, and provide technical expertise and support to ensure high standards in project delivery and data center operations.

Data Center Project Director

  • Lead Project Delivery and Governance: Oversee the full lifecycle of data center projects, from conception through execution, ensuring timely delivery, adherence to budget, and alignment with client objectives. Establish and uphold project governance standards, processes, and success criteria to ensure consistency and quality.

  • Stakeholder and Client Engagement: Act as the primary interface with clients, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams, ensuring clear, regular communication and alignment with project goals. Represent the client’s interests, facilitate progress meetings, and manage expectations at every stage.

  • Risk and Change Management: Identify potential risks and implement mitigation strategies to minimize impact. Manage the change control process to handle project adjustments while maintaining the project's scope and integrity.

  • Financial Oversight and Budget Management: Monitor project finances closely, including tracking costs, reviewing contractor invoices, and managing the project’s budget to ensure cost-effective delivery. Oversee invoicing and project financial reporting to ensure accurate and timely billing.

  • Team Leadership and Resource Coordination: Lead and coordinate a cross-functional project team, including contractors and vendors, to meet project milestones and performance targets. Provide guidance, delegate responsibilities, and support the team in achieving project objectives.

  • Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment Compliance: Ensure project activities comply with quality, safety, health, and environmental standards. Implement and monitor performance management techniques, such as KPIs, to drive continuous improvement in project delivery and compliance.

Electrical Design Engineer

  • Design Development and Proposal Management: Create audits, concept designs, and technical proposals for data centers and critical facilities, ensuring coordination with the wider design team to align with project goals.

  • Technical Specification Production: Produce and manage specifications for data center projects, ensuring they meet industry standards and project requirements while facilitating compliance during the design phase.

  • Design Review and Feedback: Conduct thorough reviews of design drawings and specifications, providing constructive feedback to improve quality and adherence to project criteria.

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams, such as capacity planning, network strategy, and security, to verify project scope and develop standard installation procedures, ensuring cohesive project execution.

  • Project Leadership and Implementation: Take ownership of designing and implementing data center expansions or new facilities, managing timelines and deliverables with minimal oversight while maintaining high-quality standards.

  • Site Audits and Compliance Checks: Conduct site visits and audits to assess layouts and configurations for usability, resilience, and compliance with relevant data center standards, ensuring optimal design functionality and performance.

Key Recruitment Challenges

Despite the industry's growth, recruitment challenges persist within the sector. Here are some key examples:

  • Skills Shortages: The industry is experiencing a significant lack of skilled candidates across various roles, making it challenging for companies to identify and attract the talent they require.

  • Advancement of Technology - As the industry continues to grow, the technology also advances, requiring data center candidates to update their skills on a regular basis. This creates a challenge of employers, who not only need skilled professionals but those who can quickly adapt to new advancements. Finding candidates with both these requirements is difficult, highlighting the importance of making ongoing training and learning a commitment for employers. 

  • Intensive Competition for Talent: The high demand for data center jobs means that companies must compete fiercely to attract potential employees, heightening the need to improve their appeal.

  • Issues Around Diversity and Inclusion: There is a notable underrepresentation of women and diverse talent in the industry, which can impede recruitment efforts and restrict the diversity of ideas and perspectives within organizations.

  • Increasingly Aging Workforce: An aging demographic is approaching retirement in the coming years, further compounding the talent shortage and creating gaps in essential skill areas.

Key Recruitment Solutions

To ensure the industry continues to thrive with the senior talent it requires, here are our top recruitment tips:

  1. SOLUTION 1
    Attracting Talent through Education Partnerships

    Partner with colleges and educational institutions to promote awareness of career opportunities in the data center industry.

  2. SOLUTION 2
    Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

    Create a hiring process that fosters diversity within teams, including collaborations with educational settings to connect with diverse students in STEM programs and using gender-neutral language in job postings.

  3. SOLUTION 3
    Utilizing Military Talent

    Engage with initiatives like USTechVets to source and place ex-military candidates who bring valuable transferable skills for data center roles.

Transferable Skills

A skills-first hiring strategy is emerging as a powerful solution across various industries. Attract exceptional talent from diverse fields, equipped to tackle your industry’s challenges and enhance your team’s performance. Here are some examples:

Cloud Computing and Infrastructure

This includes skills such as:

  • Cloud Migration 
  • Cloud Security 
  • Cloud Architecture 

Talent with these skills could be transferred from industries such as:

  • Healthcare
  • Finance 
  • Technology

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

This includes skills such as: 

  • Automation 
  • Predictive Analytics 
  • Optimizing Data Center Operations

Talent with these skills could be transferred from industries such as:

  • Mining 
  • Construction 
  • Energy

Cybersecurity and Risk Management

This includes skills such as: 

  • Threat Intelligence 
  • Incident Response 
  • Regulatory Compliance 
  • Vulnerability Assessment

Talent with these skills could be transferred from industries such as:

  • Retail 
  • Fintech 
  • Aerospace and Defense
One of the biggest recruitment challenges is finding candidates with experience in the latest technologies, like edge computing and high-performance cooling systems. These are niche skills that aren’t easy to come by.
Jon MacDonald Data Centers Specialist
Data Centers

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