Alongside the wave of massive investments in digital infrastructure, data centers (DCs) have become an indispensable component of the modern economy. As enterprises, organizations, and governments accelerate digital transformation, the demand for data storage and processing is soaring — and with it, the need for a highly skilled technical workforce.
A decade ago, telecommunications engineers and network administrators were considered niche professions in the technology infrastructure sector. Today, the human resource landscape has expanded many times over. Modern data centers require a specialized operational workforce, including infrastructure engineers, electrical–mechanical–cooling specialists, cybersecurity experts, system administrators, cloud architects, maintenance technicians, and even data analysts. Each role plays a crucial part in ensuring that a DC operates stably, securely, and continuously — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
According to Uptime Institute, by 2025 the world will face a shortage of about 300,000 qualified professionals for data center operations. Vietnam — a rising destination for the data center industry — is not immune to this trend. As large-scale DC projects are launched, from telecom corporations to private investors, a pressing question emerges: is society ready with a strong enough human resource base for this new sector?
At present, Vietnamese technical universities train only a small portion of the skills required for the data center industry. Most curricula still focus on traditional information technology, while practical skills in infrastructure management, industrial cooling, data security, and large-scale system operations remain limited. Consequently, many graduates must undergo additional corporate training — learning on the job to meet industry demands.
This situation presents both a major challenge and a significant opportunity for education and vocational training. As demand for skilled workers grows rapidly, closer collaboration between enterprises and educational institutions becomes essential. Building hands-on training centers, offering short-term certification programs, or adopting dual “study-and-work” models could help bridge the gap between theory and practice. Leading countries such as Singapore and South Korea have demonstrated that flexible, market-oriented education is the key to success in developing digital infrastructure.
The labor market impact is already evident. The data center industry is generating a new class of high-quality jobs — well-paid positions that require digital skills and continuous learning. Not only IT professionals but also those from other technical fields such as electrical engineering, mechanics, automation, and building management can participate in this expanding value chain. Each large-scale data center may employ hundreds of direct staff and thousands of indirect workers from supporting industries such as maintenance, logistics, security, and energy.
Moreover, the development of this industry has a ripple effect across the entire economy. Wherever a data center is built, the demand for tech talent rises, pushing vocational schools, colleges, and universities to modernize their training programs. This becomes a catalyst for the education system to transform — making digital literacy and data awareness essential knowledge for all, not just for technical specialists.
However, without timely investment in training, Vietnam may face a shortage of high-quality human resources — a major bottleneck for digital infrastructure growth. The workforce challenge is not just about numbers, but about adaptability to new technologies. As artificial intelligence (AI), edge computing, and cloud computing become mainstream, data center professionals will need interdisciplinary skills that combine engineering, operations, and data management.
Investing in digital infrastructure without a parallel human capital strategy is like building a house without a foundation. A national strategy for digital skills development — supported by policies that encourage enterprises to engage in hands-on training — will be crucial for Vietnam to become not only an investment destination but also a regional hub for technological talent.
The expansion of data centers is inevitable in the ongoing digital transformation. More importantly, it is an opportunity to restructure the labor market — where new skills, digital thinking, and adaptive capacity will define the next generation of the workforce. When people are well-prepared, data centers will not only operate with machines, but with human intelligence and the collective aspiration for progress.