Data Centers Have a New PR Plan: Your Kid’s Field Trip

A nonprofit group called 7x24 Exchange International is promoting data centers, describing them as critical infrastructure. To achieve this, they have come up with a children's story titled "What is a Data Center?" This tale follows a honey badger named Honey who receives a guided tour of a data center from an employee named Oliver.

Oliver explains that data center workers ensure the services provided by the center are accessible to everyone, regardless of the time. Honey, curious about the relevance, asks if she can shop online late at night without her father being aware. This story is part of a broader effort by the data center industry to win over younger audiences through creative methods.

As concerns about massive data center construction and energy consumption grow, the industry is adopting a softer approach to community engagement. For instance, the Potomac chapter of the Association for Computer Operations Management (AFCOM), a trade group for data centers, sponsored Memorial Day-themed flag-making kits distributed to 3,100 first graders across 37 schools in Loudoun County, Virginia.

These kits came with informational cards highlighting the positive economic impact of the data center industry. 7x24 Exchange also introduced "International Data Center Day," aiming to create awareness and inspire future talent in the field. The group offers various activities for schools, from data center-themed coloring pages to field trips to local data center facilities.

Similar initiatives by companies like Sabey, Amazon, and Microsoft have also been reported, with events including field trips, guest speaker sessions, and mock interviews, all contributing to the industry's outreach efforts.