How did you get involved with digital infrastructure?
My career has been a mix of trial, error, and a lot of figuring things out along the way. I started down the education path with sixth form. I then studied archaeology for a while. Went to college and switched to business studies, but none of these options felt right. Eventually, I earned enough UCAS points to start a sports science degree, but I left after two months. Afterward, I worked retail jobs and spent time abroad, which gave me some clarity about what I wanted—and didn’t want—in a career.
When I came back to the UK, I had a conversation with my dad, who worked in construction. He took me to an open day at a construction site, and that’s where something clicked. I got to see all the different roles and innovations—BIM, sustainability, 3D modelling—and it caught my interest. I spoke with university lecturers and nearly went into civil engineering but was advised that project management might be a better fit for my skills.
I started studying project management, and in my final year, I split my time between university and working at a consultancy. My projects were mainly in life sciences and defence research, but then my company suggested I try working on a data centre project. I had no idea what a data centre was at the time, but I gave it a shot—and a couple of months in, I was hooked.
I joined the data centre team full-time, and now I focus entirely on these projects. At first, it was overwhelming—figuring out what a data centre even is, understanding all the components, and then building one. But once I got the hang of it, I found I really enjoyed it.
The thing I find fascinating in talking to others in the industry is that there is no set career path into it. There aren’t university courses or clear training programs—most of us stumble into it without even knowing what it is. But that’s part of what makes it exciting. You learn on the job, and every day brings something new. Looking back, I never imagined I’d be here, but I’m so glad I found my way here.
If your application is successful, Harlow Council will transfer the grant by BACS. Bank details (account name, number and sort code) will need to be supplied with a summary of accounts.
Funding conditions: If your application is successful, your project must be delivered by 31 December 2026. You will have to return any grant funds if the project is not delivered or the organisation receiving the funding stops operating.
A contract agreement will need to be signed between your organisation and Harlow District Council before any funding is granted.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Grant recipients will be required to provide an end of project report to establish whether the project has met its aims and objectives, as well as to assess the overall impact on participants. Funding for the project is provided on the basis that the Project Evaluation form is returned within the agreed project timescale (no later than 31 January 2027).
Risks and Liabilities: In giving grants the ‘Harlow Council’ will require the supported project organisation or groups to accept all risks and liabilities associated with the activity being supported. This will be a condition of the grant. Copies of relevant documents may need to be provided if the application has been approved.
Data protection statement – how we will use your information
The Council is committed to handling your personal information in line with the data processing principles. The Data Protection Legislation and the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) sets the legal framework for how we collect, handle and process personal data and for your rights as a ‘data subject.’
General Data Protection Regulation: Personal data provided by you will be processed in accordance with this protocol. For more details, please see https://www.harlow.gov.uk/privacy-notice
Thank you for taking the time to read these guidance notes. If you have any questions, please get in touch with [email protected].
