Automation in data centers has already started to impact the workforce, particularly in tasks that are repetitive and routine. This means that some jobs that were previously performed by human workers are now being done by automated tools and processes.
According to a report from McKinsey Global Institute, the rise in automation could increase productivity, economic growth and other factors. However, maintaining full employment is likely to be a challenging proposition with both the economy and labor market.
The report found that the number of American jobs lost due to midpoint automation could add up to 39 million while 73 million could be destroyed by rapid automation.
China and India would also suffer badly from automation, losing 236 and 120 million jobs by 2030 respectively. Japan would have 30 million displaced workers.
Despite that, about 20 million displaced workers could still be shifted into similar jobs where they could tackle slightly different tasks. In the U.S. and other developed countries, a significant share of workers may need to learn new skills or be retrained entirely.
Reskilling and Up-skilling Data Center Workforce
Automation has the potential to displace some jobs in the data center industry. However, according to Geoffrey Brown, Construction Quality Lead for APAC data center projects at Google Singapore, automation is unlikely to completely replace the entire workforce.
“There’s some talk about worker displacement due to automation– that we’ll have less workers, I think the challenge is just the change of skill set,” said Brown.
Brown said that automation is definitely something that requires a lot of skills. For instance, in the mechatronics field, you need to have some mechanical background, like electrical, coding, and control, so it can be more complex than just having manual valves and switches.
The shift towards automation is expected to change the nature of the work performed in data centers, with more emphasis on higher-level tasks such as developing and implementing automation strategies, as well as monitoring and optimizing automated systems. This may require data center workers to learn new skills and adapt to new technologies.
Upgrading Human Expertise
As automation technology advances, there is a possibility that more complex tasks may be automated, leading to further displacement of the workforce. However, it is important to note that there will always be a need for human oversight and intervention in data center operations, particularly in tasks that require critical thinking, decision-making, and creativity.
While automation will likely impact some jobs in the data center industry, it is not expected to completely displace the entire workforce. The key challenge for the data center workforce will be to adapt to new technologies and develop new skills to remain relevant and competitive in the job market.
Workers who are able to learn new skills and leverage automation to improve their productivity and efficiency will be in a better position to succeed in the future. Additionally, organizations that invest in reskilling and up-skilling their workforce will be better prepared to navigate the challenges and opportunities of automation.
