LotusWorks, along with leading tech giants, IT Sligo and Haute École Louvain en Hainaut (HELHa) in Belgium have co-designed a data centre engineering degree. The course, which is the first of its kind in Europe was launched Friday June 1st in ITSligo.
It is an upskilling online program designed to meet the fast growing needs of the data centre industry. LotusWorks contributed expertise during the development process of this programme, recognising the need for highly specialised skills in the sector. This input by industry into the design and development of the programme, ensured a balance between the more ‘theory based’ modules with the practical ‘real world knowledge’. In the presence of special guests, industry partners, and joined online by their partner college, Haute École Louvain en Hainaut (HELHa) in Belgium, Dr Brendan McCormack President of IT Sligo spoke of the expansive reach of the programme, and the importance of aligning the course content with the knowledge and skills required by the Data Centre Industry. With over 2000 students worldwide currently enrolled online with IT Sligo, he is excited to see the benefits to industry of this new digital education platform.
Fergal Broder, LotusWorks CEO, attended the course launch on Friday, where Brendan McCormack (President of ITSligo), Una Parsons (Head of School of Engineering and Design) and Denis Browne (EU Regional Data Centre Lead, Google) spoke and introduced the course. They spoke about their 18 month journey working with LotusWorks, and tech giants, developing, consulting and planning the online course. Úna Parsons acknowledged the support received from LotusWorks saying “We’re very grateful to Fergal and LotusWorks who recognised their client needs and the industry needs, and facilitated the connection with the industry partners”.
Data centres are the engine room of the endless data flow and data is the lifeblood of all modern industries and enterprises. Úna Parson’s explained how keeping data centres online is essential and therefore the operational efficiency of these facilities require technical staff that have the skills and ability to maintain and operate data centres to a very high standard. “This bespoke new online facilities engineering programme is designed to upskill technical staff to an extremely high standard and, in the process, ensure that a pipeline of technical talent is available that meets the growing needs of data centres, which underpin global economic activity,” commented Úna. 
LotusWorks are proud to support IT Sligo’s new engineering degree in Data Centre facilities engineering and management, and look forward to working with the technical talent this course is sure to bring. ‘This online course will increase the skills of people already working in the sector, and for those who wish to work in the industry going forward’ says Denis Brown.
With the two-year course now open for applicants for September 2017 the future looks bright for the Data Centre Industry in Ireland.
