In recent years, Spain has significantly grown in data center infrastructures. They have become a necessity due to global trends such as telecommuting, data traffic, digitalization, or the use of streaming platforms or AI, and are necessary to support the evolution of technology. The trend in the coming years promises to continue to rise, as according to a report from the Uptime Institute Intelligence, it is expected that the installed power will grow by 43% in Madrid and 52% in Barcelona.
Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global provider of critical digital infrastructures and continuity solutions, states that this is a good thing, but also a challenge for Spain. On the positive side, it is expected that this sector will have a 3.9% impact on GDP, equivalent to around 60 billion euros, figures provided by the Spain DC report. The Community of Madrid is working to become the digital hub of southern Europe, while other cities like Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia, and A Coruña are increasingly hosting more data centers.
However, with this growth comes the need for talent to ensure the proper functioning of these basic infrastructures for this digital lifestyle, and this is where a major challenge arises. Without professionals and without talent, this growth is not possible.
According to Spain DC, the Spanish Data Center Association that brings together data center operators and technology providers such as Vertiv, in 2026 there will be a need to fill 2,000 positions in Spain alone. The Uptime Institute, a leading organization focused on improving performance and increasing efficiency and reliability of critical infrastructures for companies, predicts that the number of professionals needed to operate data center facilities worldwide will be 2.3 million by 2025.
If there are currently difficulties in finding talent to fill existing positions, this need will only increase in the future. Data centers require technical service professionals, but also experts in project management, sales, cybersecurity and information security, software development, energy efficiency, among other positions.
Despite being a sector that offers ample opportunities for development and growth, professional stability, and a long professional career, it remains a great unknown for young people.
The causes of the talent shortage in the sector
José Alfonso, sales director of services for the southern region, has analyzed the factors that may be causing the shortage of candidates for positions in the data center, noting that systems…