IBTC Expands Data Centre Skills Programme To Kenya

The International Business Training College (IBTC) is bringing its data centre workforce development programme to Kenya, giving engineering and technology graduates a new route into the country’s growing data centre industry.

The programme was formalised in Nairobi during ITW & Datacloud Africa, with Schneider Electric University, the Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA) and other industry partners joining the initiative.

At its centre is a simple model: IBTC identifies graduates, trains them for data centre roles and then connects them with potential employers.

The training will begin with Schneider Electric University’s Data Centre Certified Associate (DCCA I) programme, covering the infrastructure that keeps data centres running. Participants will learn about power, cooling, energy management, security, controls and data centre operations.

The programme will also include practical exposure through industry partners, taking the training beyond the classroom and into real data centre environments.

iXAfrica and IMEX are involved in the practical component, with participants getting exposure to data centre technologies and operational equipment. IBTC says the Kenya programme builds on similar workforce development programmes it has established in South Africa and Nigeria.

ADCA will provide industry and governance input, helping align the training with the skills required by data centre operators and other companies working across the sector. IBTC Data Centre Academy will oversee the training and workforce development.

The expansion comes as more data centre capacity is being built across Africa, increasing demand for the engineers and technicians needed to operate the infrastructure behind cloud services, AI workloads and other digital services.

That demand extends across the systems that keep a facility running, from electrical power and cooling to controls, security and network infrastructure.

IBTC could be a great path from technical training to employment for graduates entering the industry.

“Building a sustainable talent pipeline is critical to supporting the growth of digital infrastructure across the continent,” said Steve Santini, Vice President, Secure Power, Sub-Saharan Africa at Schneider Electric.

Nikki Maritz, CEO of IBTC, said collaboration between training institutions, technology providers and industry bodies would be important in developing the talent needed as Africa’s data centre market expands.

The Kenya programme now adds another local training pipeline to an industry that is expanding alongside the country’s broader digital infrastructure.