Schneider Electric, IBTC expand data centre training

Schneider Electric and the International Business Training College, through its Data Centre Academy, have expanded a data centre workforce development programme into Kenya as the country prepares for increased demand for digital infrastructure.

The programme, formalised during ITW & Datacloud Africa in Nairobi, is being delivered with support from the Africa Data Centres Association and other industry partners. It is designed to train engineering and technology graduates for roles in the data centre sector, according to a statement issued by the organisations.

The Kenya rollout builds on programmes established by IBTC in South Africa and Nigeria, extending its workforce development model into another African market as investment in data centres, cloud computing and other digital infrastructure expands across the continent.

Schneider Electric will provide the foundational curriculum through Schneider Electric University for the Data Centre Certified Associate programme. The training covers areas including power, cooling, energy management, security, controls and operational resilience.

Vice President, Secure Power, Sub-Saharan Africa, at Schneider Electric, Steve Santini, said the expansion would help address the growing need for technical skills alongside investment in digital infrastructure.

“Building a sustainable talent pipeline is critical to supporting the growth of digital infrastructure across the continent,” Santini said.

He added that the partnership with IBTC and ADCA would equip engineers and technicians with skills to design, operate and maintain data centres while supporting efficiency and sustainability.

The programme will follow IBTC’s “source, train, place” model, combining structured training, industry certification and practical exposure to data centre operations. Participants will begin with the DCCA I training before progressing to advanced industry certification pathways.

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IBTC Data Centre Academy will oversee programme delivery and workforce development, while ADCA will provide industry leadership and governance support to align the training with the needs of the data centre sector.

Industry partners, including IMEX and IX Africa, will support practical elements of the programme, giving participants exposure to technologies and operating environments used in data centres.

IBTC Chief Executive Officer Nikki Maritz said collaboration between training organisations, technology providers and industry bodies was necessary to develop a sustainable talent pipeline.

“Developing a sustainable talent pipeline requires collaboration across the entire digital infrastructure ecosystem,” Maritz said.

The expansion comes as data centre operators across Africa invest in capacity to meet rising demand for cloud services, artificial intelligence workloads and other digital applications. That growth is increasing demand for engineers and technicians capable of maintaining power, cooling, connectivity and other critical systems that support data centre operations.

IBTC said its Data Centre Academy is already delivering training in South Africa, Nigeria and Qatar, with Kenya becoming its latest African market. The academy works with Schneider Electric University and EPI/EXIN on training content and certification.