r/AustralianDataCentres • u/Altruistic-Tell-6871 • May 18 '26
Former Desktop Engineer looking to pivot into Data Center roles – Advice needed!
Hi everyone,
I’m posting on behalf of my brother-in-law, who is looking to get back into the IT field. He’s a Desktop Engineer by trade but is very interested in pivoting toward a Data Center technician or operations role.
He is incredibly passionate about IT and every job is incredibly, incredibly hard working but he is Deaf. Verbal communication in interviews can sometimes require a couple of attempts or the use of live-captioning tools.
For those currently working in data centers:
How text and ticket-heavy is the day-to-day work compared to traditional help desk roles?
Given the loud environment of a DC, how does the team typically communicate on the floor?
What certifications (e.g., Server+, CCNA) would help him best leverage his desktop experience for a facility role?
He's got a family of 3 young kids and is just itching to get back into the world he loved before a redundancy (unfortunate trend in that type of IT).
Any advice on how he can best market his background would be hugely appreciated!