Microsoft and Victoria University (VU) announced the official opening of Victoria’s first Datacentre Academy, located at VU’s Footscray Nicholson Campus.

Demand for data centre capacity in Victoria is accelerating as cloud adoption and AI drive new investment in local digital infrastructure. As new facilities come online and existing sites scale up, the need for job-ready talent grows just as quickly – particularly for technicians with hands-on skills in critical environments, safety, operations and networking.

To help meet the state’s growing technical talent needs, VU and Microsoft came together to establish the Microsoft Datacentre Academy, with capacity for 48 students, earlier this month. The program was also the recipient of an industry-matched grant from the Victorian Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.

Danny Pearson, Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, said, “We are proud to support the Microsoft Datacentre Academy at VU. This program is focused on shaping future workforce capabilities and addressing critical skills gaps. Through the AI Mission statement, we are paving the way for our state to become the nation’s capital of AI – and we’re making sure Victorians have the skills they need to do the jobs of the future.”

The program supports VU’s vision to deliver fully funded, demand-driven courses that enhance employability outcomes for students, along with strengthening VU’s reputation as an innovative and responsive education provider. It also builds on Microsoft’s global Datacentre Community Pledge and ongoing local investments in skilling initiatives designed to set Australian workers up for success in the new AI economy.

From cloud services, streaming and AI, datacentres are integral to protecting and storing our digital lives. As this burgeoning critical infrastructure industry continues to grow at pace, so does the demand for a specialised workforce dedicated to monitoring, networking and maintaining critical systems in data centre environments.

The Microsoft Datacentre Academy at VU is a comprehensive program specifically designed to help address the significant skills gaps driving workforce shortages in two in-demand roles: critical environment technicians and datacentre technicians.

The program includes hands-on training, mentoring from Microsoft and business leaders, industry certifications, and career readiness.