DATA CENTRES
they both see and understand the whole picture. Early-career hires are brought in with the expectation that their roles will evolve. It’s a model that does a lot to support progression from within. Workers who start as apprentices gain visibility across multiple stages of delivery, including site work, installation, testing and commissioning. Advancement is linked to experience gained through rotation rather than time served alone.
Apprenticeship pathways have also been Rather than training solely as electricians, apprentices develop as electrical engineers focused on data centre infrastructure. This reframing creates clearer long-term career trajectories and aligns early-career training with the fact that the industry of tomorrow may look very different to the industry we know today.
typically spend one day per week in formal education and four days in practical settings. A dedicated training manager oversees the programme. Initial months focus on foundational knowledge, including systems, processes and safety. From there, apprentices rotate through manufacturing, installation, and engineering functions. Exposure includes both traditional electrical work and more engineering-intensive
activities such as switchgear and modular systems. Mechanical engineering apprentices begin on work and machine operation before progressing into programming and, later, design. By their third roles. Electrical apprentices follow a similar route, starting with mechanical assembly to understand how systems are constructed before moving into wiring, schematics and testing. Both pathways end up receiving exposure to the R&D process, where fresh perspectives are incredibly valuable. Experience matters, but TES has found that new people often ask ‘why’ in ways that lead to better solutions. There’s a holistic quality to the way TES approaches training its apprentices. While that includes exposing them to a wider array of skills and developmental pathways than more traditional apprenticeships, it’s also about instilling the right values and approach. Culture plays a starring role in TES’ apprenticeship program. There’s a strong focus on consistency in communication and clarity of expectations. Innovation is a collective responsibility and a culture that creates space for discussion and experimentation encourages that. Put simply, culture matters, especially as the company scales. Communication and shared
purpose prevent silos and keep everyone from apprentices to the C-Suite moving in the same direction.
As apprentices progress, multiple career paths
move into testing, technical design, or project management roles that span delivery from concept to completion. The pace of the data centre sector provides rapid feedback loops, allowing individuals to see tangible outcomes from their work. That sense of impact, combined with project variety, supports retention.
DEVELOPMENT, RETENTION AND THE FUTURE
The risks of underinvesting in talent development are already visible across the data centre industry. Delays, disorganisation and high price tags all threaten to prevent data centre builders from capitalising on the AI boom. Reactive recruitment can easily lead to quality issues, delayed delivery and loss of organisational knowledge. By investing in a pipeline that hires, develops and retains a new generation of engineers, companies like TES are already better prepared to deliver the next that will compound as the decade continues and into the 2030s.
https://www.tesgroup.com/power/
www.irish-manufacturing.com January/February 2026 Irish Manufacturing 17
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