• • • NEWS • • •
Schneider Electric addresses the data centre skills gap S
chneider Electric has announced a series of updates to its vendor-agnostic and CPD-
accredited digital education platform, the Schneider Electric University. Available in 14 different languages and
accessible globally for free online, the dedicated professional development platform directly addresses the data centre sector skills gap, helping industry stakeholders to upskill and stay up-to-date with the latest technology, sustainability, and energy efficiency initiatives affecting the sector. To-date, the Schneider Electric (SE) University
has delivered more than one million courses to over 650,000 data centre users, with 180+ countries represented by its global user-base. The new updates to the Schneider Electric
University Data Centre Certified Associate (DCCA) qualification include fundamentals of power, cooling, racks, and physical security, and guidance on how to optimise data centre designs to drive
resilience, energy efficiency and sustainability. Rob McKernan, senior vice president, Secure
Power Division, Schneider Electric Europe, said that by encouraging individuals to upskill and continue their professional development for free, the Schneider Electric University is directly addressing the data centre industry skills gap,
ECS Registered Electrician status tops 40,000 gold card holders
T
he Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) has been encouraging electricians to help raise standards for installation
and maintenance electricians by becoming an ECS Registered Electrician. Registered Electrician status signifies that not only has the person
met the requirements for the industry-approved standard at Level 3 as an Installation or Maintenance Electrician (an ECS gold card), but they have also kept up to date with the latest edition of BS7671 IET Wiring Regulations, have agreed to a Code of Professional Conduct and agree to keep up to date with CPD requirements. ECS Registered
Electrician status was introduced in 2017 to raise the bar on new entrants obtaining their ECS gold card, and to recognise the need for undertaking of continuing professional development (CPD). Kevin Snowdon, owner of NES Electrical in Bromley, was the first
person to achieve Registered Electrician status in 2017. “Registered Electrician status is a well-deserved endorsement for
the professionalism and skills of installation and maintenance electricians,” explained Mr Snowden. “At the time Registered Electrician status launched, we didn’t
know how much the industry would have changed and how much focus competence would have received in the next five years – this was undoubtedly a positive step change by industry to raise the bar.” Mr Snowden added: “I promote the skills and knowledge of my
workforce to clients and main contractors to help set us apart and take advantage of funding opportunities such as the JIB Skills Development Fund where possible.”
6 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • JULY/AUGUST 2022
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
helping businesses to attract, retrain both new and existing talent, and providing access to specialised technical education, everywhere. Mr McKernan said: “In the last few years data
centre capacity demands have grown exponentially, reaching record new highs as digitisation and cloud adoption accelerates. The sector skills shortage, however, remains a significant challenge and has potential implications for other connected industries. “By providing guidance on the latest technology
and sustainability initiatives, we believe the Schneider Electric University offers an invaluable resource to help bridge the skills gap by empowering business ecosystems, reskilling the workforce, and training the next generation of professionals to build the data centres of the future.” For more information about Schneider Electric University, visit:
https://university.se.com.
Aggreko highlights growing issue of fixed term energy pricing in service contracts
U
K manufacturers are being urged to consider the wider
implications of a fixed term energy service contracts following findings from Aggreko’s latest report, The Power Struggle. The research, which surveyed 251
manufacturers across the UK, stated that 57% had or would use an Energy as a Service (EaaS) contract to gain access to a distributed energy solution. Of that group, the vast majority had a one- or two-year fixed energy price agreement with their provider, and a small percentage said they had been or were on a three-year deal. According to Aggreko, the price (per kWh) is usually based on predicted usage, so an increase or decrease in demand can subject a business to potential penalties.
Aggreko has highlighted the risk
associated with this approach amid a volatile energy market as businesses could be tied into expensive fixed pricing arrangements for long periods, irrespective of whether the market begins to settle after they have signed. Matt Watson, sector manager for
manufacturing at Aggreko Northern Europe, said: “It is unsurprising that more companies now seem to be engaging with Energy as a Service (EaaS) contracts. We have been monitoring the sector for some time and earlier research indicated the demand for more flexible energy models. “However, companies need to be
aware that it’s an umbrella term with varying levels of benefits to the user depending on the supplier.”
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