Kelly Santalucia

• Addressing the root causes of the data‑center talent shortage by focusing upstream on where workforce growth breaks down earliest with limited awareness of careers, fragmented access points, and inconsistent early‑stage readiness rather than competing over an increasingly scarce pool of experienced talent
• Building scalable, repeatable entry pathways into data‑center careers by connecting employers, educators, and early‑career talent through education partnerships, industry exposure, and structured early‑engagement programs, helping organizations establish consistent baseline capability across sites and partners in the absence of a single standardized career route
• Enabling ecosystem‑level workforce growth by aligning owners, operators, contractors, and industry bodies around shared responsibility for pipeline development, reducing reliance on poaching and short‑term hiring fixes while supporting sustainable, long‑term talent supply for mission‑critical infrastructure expansion

This interactive Q&A explores how organizations are addressing workforce shortages by shifting focus upstream and strengthening their ability to absorb and grow new entrants. It examines what happens after awareness is created and how early career pathways, structured progression, and frontline leadership determine whether entry‑level talent becomes productive and retained, or churns out. The discussion will surface what differentiates organizations that successfully build bench strength from those that remain trapped in cyclical hiring pressure.