Nearly a quarter of data center staff could retire within a decade

A survey of 300 data center decision-makers by Onnec found that UK, Irish and Nordic operators expect 18–28% of their workforce to retire within 5–10 years. Around 6,340 directly employed roles are set to open between 2031 and 2036, raising concerns over lost expertise as AI drives demand.

• UK expects 18.74% of staff to retire, about 4,455 roles
• Ireland faces 24.43% attrition; the Nordics 28%
• Roughly 6,340 positions will need replacing in 2031–2036
• Onnec urges apprenticeships and mentoring to transfer knowledge