India’s fast expanding digital infrastructure is set to receive a skilled talent boost as Microsoft has launched its global Data Centre Academy in the country. The programme aims to address the rising demand for trained professionals as data centre capacity grows rapidly across regions.
The academy has been introduced at the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad through a partnership with Young India Skills University under the Government of Telangana. United Way of Hyderabad is supporting the initiative as the non profit partner, while Selasian Consultancy Services is acting as the training partner. The programme is focused on preparing young professionals for entry and mid level roles in data centre operations, a sector seeing strong growth in Telangana and across India.
The initiative aligns with India’s wider push to strengthen its digital backbone as hyperscale cloud providers, enterprises, and government agencies continue to invest in large scale data centre infrastructure. By creating a structured talent pipeline, Microsoft aims to reduce the skills gap in critical areas such as operations, facilities management, and infrastructure maintenance that support large data centre ecosystems.
As part of the academy, Young India Skills University has launched a 3 month data centre management course. “We are starting with a cohort of 30 students. The idea is to build job ready skills in a domain where demand is growing faster than available talent,” said Dr Subba Rao Young, Vice Chancellor of Young India Skills University. He added that high performing participants may also be considered for internship opportunities with Microsoft, providing practical exposure alongside classroom learning.
The Data Centre Academy follows a globally standardised curriculum and places strong focus on hands on training. Students will complete nearly 600 hours of instruction during the programme. According to Bharath Merugu of United Way of Hyderabad, the structure of the course is designed to directly improve employability. “This gives students a clear pathway into digital infrastructure roles that are critical to the economy,” he said.
The curriculum covers data centre fundamentals, power and cooling systems, networking, safety protocols, regulatory compliance, and facilities management. On completion, students will receive certification from Young India Skills University, with select candidates also eligible for internationally recognised EPI certification. The initiative aims to support India’s growing data centre industry while opening new career paths for young professionals.
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