Sixty students from East London have taken part in an initiative organised by HireHigher and the Baker Dearing Educational Trust aimed at boosting understanding of career opportunities in the data centre industry. The event was held at Data Centre World, part of the Tech Show London, where students participated in employer engagement tasks designed to help them learn about the data centre sector.

The initiative was part of a wider campaign to address an ongoing skills shortage in the digital infrastructure industry. The students, who are in the sixth form at the London Design and Engineering University Technical College (UTC), were invited by Baker Dearing, which supports UTCs to deliver a high-quality, industry-focused curriculum.

Adelle Desouza, Founder of HireHigher, viewed the initiative as triumphant. She said, "The event was a roaring success. We created a curated route complete with trivia questions for each team of students to complete. Watching the students battle it out in their teams, saw them not only answering the questions posed but having their interest peaked with so many giving extensive answers."

The tasks created for the students encouraged them to interact with exhibitors and sponsors throughout the event. They were guided by current young professionals, rising stars and industry veterans. Desouza thanked the conference organisers and sponsors for making the event possible and for their roles in inspiring the students about the data centre sector.

Kate Ambrosi, Director of Education and Innovation for Baker Dearing Educational Trust, also expressed appreciation for the event's impact on students. She remarked, "We appreciate the support that HireHigher has provided in expanding UTC students' knowledge of the data centre sector. Young people in UTCs regularly engage with employers in highly-specialised sectors, so Data Centre World was a fantastic opportunity to continue that work on a large scale."

Ambrosi added that the trip to Data Centre World "helped focus students' energies" and could potentially help nurture talent within the digital industries. By harnessing and nurturing the pipeline of talent across the UTC network, companies within the digital infrastructure industry can be more likely to address the sector’s skills shortage.

HireHigher is committed to bridging the gap between education and industry by including all stakeholders in the process. Its mission is to improve career advice in schools, inspire students, and attract new talent to address the industry's current skills shortage.

The collaboration between HireHigher, the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, and Data Centre World to introduce students to career opportunities in the data centre industry represents a significant step in addressing the skills shortage in the digital infrastructure sector. By engaging students in interactive tasks and providing them with firsthand exposure to industry professionals, this initiative inspires interest and cultivates potential talent within the next-generation workforce.