The Pune facility aims to prepare the workforce for the demands of AI-driven infrastructure.
Vertiv has opened a new Training Academy and Technology Excellence Center in Pune, India, addressing a crucial challenge as the data center industry experiences explosive growth. The facility represents a strategic investment in developing talent capable of managing increasingly complex digital infrastructure.
Why This Matters Now
India currently generates 20% of the world’s data but holds only 3.5% of global data center capacity—a gap that signals a massive opportunity. With artificial intelligence driving unprecedented demand for computing power, the industry faces a severe shortage of skilled professionals who can design, install, and maintain next-generation facilities.
“With the surge in AI investments in the data center space, we expect significant demand for a skilled, adapted, and updated workforce,” said Subhasis Majumdar, Managing Director of Vertiv India. The timing is critical as companies like Google build their largest campus outside America in Vizag, while numerous colocation providers expand operations across the country.
Hands-On Learning at Scale
The academy features five dedicated training bays where engineers work with actual equipment, including three-phase UPS systems, advanced cooling units, power switchgear, and thermal management solutions, replicating real-world operating conditions. This practical approach ensures that technicians aren’t just learning theory, but also experiencing how systems operate under pressure.
Vertiv operates over 30 such academies globally, training more than 4,000 service engineers. The company delivered 45% more training classes this year compared to last, reflecting both the rapid market growth and the complexity of emerging technologies, such as liquid cooling for AI chips.
Beyond Internal Training
While focused on Vertiv’s 1,500 Indian employees, the academy also serves business partners and customers. With over 600 partner companies employing thousands of engineers servicing Vertiv equipment nationwide, the training ecosystem extends far beyond company walls.
The facility serves as a Technology Excellence Center, featuring advanced R&D labs for testing and validating power and thermal management solutions. This integration of training and innovation creates opportunities for continuous improvement and product development.
Strategic Positioning
Pune’s selection as the hub location reflects access to engineering talent and proximity to Vertiv’s manufacturing facilities. The site already houses 1,000 engineers—up from just 40-45 five years ago—with plans to double capacity within three years.
As data centers evolve from traditional air-cooled facilities to liquid-cooled AI infrastructure, the skills required are changing rapidly. Vertiv’s academy model ensures that, whether disruptions are technological, natural, or geopolitical, critical digital infrastructure continues to run—because, in today’s world, downtime isn’t an option.