If the target keeps moving, skills shortages aren’t just about technical knowledge, says Caff Allen, Global Head of Learning and Development, Black & White Engineering – they’re about collaboration, practice, and how teams learn.
People often talk about a ‘skills gap’ in the data centre industry. In reality, what we face isn’t a gap at all but a constant shift. Technology changes frequently and the knowledge we need moves with it. Engineers aren’t falling behind because they don’t know enough, they’re dealing with a moving target that never stops.
That doesn’t mean technical expertise isn’t critical. Of course it is. But many of the difficulties playing out across projects don’t come down to engineering know-how. They come from how people work together. Listening properly, planning before acting, and being able to pause rather than react immediately are skills that often get lost in the rush of project deadlines. In an ‘always-on’ environment, where decisions are made quickly and information is flying around, the ability to slow down and think is becoming more valuable than ever.
Generational differences play into this too. Newer engineers are comfortable using AI, video resources and digital tools. Other colleagues are more likely to fall back on reading, research and analysis. Neither approach is wrong. The challenge comes when teams don’t find ways to bring those strengths together. Across the sector, there’s a growing emphasis on designing learning experiences that deliberately mix roles, locations, cultures and career stages, because the conversations that happen in those spaces are often just as important as the content itself.
How learning is delivered also matters. The industry has leaned heavily on e-learning and video modules. They are easy to roll out and can be useful, but they don’t go far enough. Watching a video isn’t the same as building a skill. Skills come from practice, feedback and discussion. They come from trying something, getting it wrong and adjusting. Without that process, knowledge doesn’t stick.
That’s why many organisations are broadening development beyond pure technical training. Leadership and management programmes are increasingly built around progression – starting with self-leadership and moving through to leading others and leading at scale. The focus isn’t just ‘managing teams’; it commonly includes communication, collaboration, self-awareness and influence – the capabilities that shape day-to-day interactions with colleagues, partners and clients. Client experience training is also becoming more common, reflecting how central relationship-building is in complex delivery environments.
On the technical side, industry conferences, internal knowledge exchanges and communities of practice are used to bring teams together across regions. Recordings and libraries help people revisit material, but the most effective approaches keep the link to the speaker or subject-matter expert, so learning stays social. Knowledge-sharing works best as an ongoing conversation, not just a resource on a screen.
Mentoring is another area where perspectives are shifting. It’s often assumed that mentors need to be the most senior people in the business. Increasingly, organisations recognise that a mentor is simply someone who has been there before – and sometimes the most helpful perspective comes from someone who has just been through the same stage. Near-peer mentoring can be particularly effective for early-career professionals, and the act of teaching also strengthens the mentor’s own skills, making it a two-way benefit.
Measurement matters too, but not just in terms of completion rates. Many businesses now track a mix of qualitative and quantitative feedback – confidence, behaviour change, project outcomes, and manager observations – because the real proof is in how people use what they’ve learned. Seeing an early-career engineer confidently lead a project meeting, or a senior manager adjust how they listen to a client, is often a stronger indicator than any single score.
What’s important to recognise is that this isn’t about plugging a single gap or preparing for one future challenge. The sector is in constant motion. Technology shifts, client needs change and industry expectations move with them. Learning strategies must reflect that. They need to be flexible, practical and human.
The central aim is simple: helping people work better together while keeping pace with change. Schools and universities don’t always prepare people for that. They tend to reward individual performance and competition rather than collaboration. Employers have to fill that space by creating environments where people can learn from each other, practise new skills and understand the impact of their behaviour on those around them.
If we stop framing this as a skills ‘gap’ and start treating it as a skills ‘evolution’, we can take a more honest view of what’s needed. Instead of chasing a finish line that doesn’t exist, the focus shifts to continuous development – making sure people have what they need today and, crucially, are ready to adapt to what comes tomorrow.
