The UK government has been emphasizing how crucial the datacentre market is for the economy, but it looks like most people don’t really get it. A recent poll by Telehouse revealed that over half the respondents—51%—had never even heard the term “datacentre.”
When they dug deeper, 67% admitted they didn’t know what a datacentre was or what it does. Telehouse pointed out that this shows just how unaware we are about these facilities and their role in our daily digital lives. Even though nearly half the folks—48%—think datacentres positively affect the digital services we use, like streaming and online shopping, a huge gap in understanding persists.
The survey also found that 43% of people couldn’t even guess how many individuals, applications, and data are supported by datacentres in the UK. This lack of awareness probably stems from datacentre operators keeping their locations secret for security reasons, which, while protecting data, has also kept these facilities out of the public eye.
This low profile has made it tough for datacentre operators to recruit new talent and replace aging workers. It’s also contributed to the sector not always getting the recognition it deserves during policy discussions.
However, things have started to shift in recent years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, datacentre employees received key worker status, highlighting their importance. The new Labour government has recognized the sector by lowering planning barriers for new developments and classifying datacentres as Critical National Infrastructure.
Still, Telehouse believes we need to boost public understanding of how datacentres fuel the digital economy. To address this, they’ve launched an initiative aimed at educating the public about datacentres and their everyday significance.
They’re also offering apprenticeships and work experience for young people interested in the field and pushing for more educational programs on datacentre technology in schools and universities. Mark Pestridge, Telehouse’s executive VP and general manager, mentioned that they want to close the knowledge gap and inspire the next generation to consider careers in this industry. He emphasized that improving this understanding could boost trust in the digital infrastructure that supports our connected lives.