Data centre work for service leavers
Shift work, strict procedures and engineering maintenance are familiar to many service leavers, and some operators say so in their adverts. Equinix's Level III critical facilities engineer adverts accept maintenance experience from the armed forces.
Resettlement support
- Career Transition Partnership (CTP). The MOD's official resettlement service, delivered with Reed in Partnership. What you get depends on length of service: the Core Resettlement Programme (more than six years), the Employment Support Programme (four to six years) or Future Horizons (under four years). CTP courses include IT and electrotechnical subjects.
- ELCAS (Enhanced Learning Credits). ELCs can only be claimed for learning that leads to a nationally recognised qualification at Level 3 or above on the RQF (Level 6 or above on the SCQF in Scotland).
Data centre courses for service leavers
CNet Training runs resettlement programmes for the sector, including its CDCTP and CDCDP courses. It describes the ELC funding as up to £1,000 per claim on the lower tier (six years' service or more) and up to £2,000 on the higher tier (eight years), with three claims in total. CNet's CDCTP leads to a Pearson BTEC Level 4 award and CDCDP to a Level 5 award. CNet announced ELCAS approval in 2019 with provider number 1267; check it's still listed when you apply. Compare the main courses.
Operator and industry programmes
- Digital Realty Site Engineer Pathway. Launched in September 2025 on the Redeployable platform for veterans in the UK and US.
- Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA). Open to UK MoD service leavers as well as US personnel. A 17-week full-time programme aimed at cloud and IT careers rather than data centre operations specifically.