Data Centre Commissioning: Why Engineers Are Harder To Secure Across Europe

A Data Centre can look almost finished and still be a long way from ready.

Months or years of design, construction and installation eventually have to be tested and proven before the facility can transition safely into operation. That is where commissioning comes in.

And across Europe, more projects are moving towards that point.

CBRE expects the European Data Centre market to reach around 13GW of capacity by the end of 2026, roughly 20% higher than 2025. New European colocation capacity signings intended for AI use also more than quadrupled during the first half of the year.

That doesn't mean 13GW of new facilities will suddenly need commissioning at once. It does show the scale of a market where more projects are being designed, built, tested and handed over across overlapping timelines.

So as Europe's Data Centre pipeline grows, is there enough experienced commissioning talent available to support it?

What Is Data Centre Commissioning?

Data Centre commissioning is the process of checking that critical systems have been installed correctly and perform as intended before the facility moves into operation.

That can include electrical infrastructure, cooling, controls, backup power and other systems that ultimately need to work both individually and together.

It is much more than one final test immediately before handover.

JLL uses a seven-stage framework running from design and factory acceptance through site testing, functional performance testing, integrated systems testing and finally transition into operations.

Different clients and projects use different terminology. Some refer to L1-L5, while others use frameworks such as L0-L6.



The principle is the important part:

Equipment is checked. Systems are tested. Then the facility has to prove that those systems can operate together as intended.

That is why commissioning calls for people who understand far more than whether installation work simply looks complete.

More Projects Are Reaching The Same Part Of The Programme

Europe's Data Centre growth is no longer concentrated in a handful of locations.

JLL reported that the established FLAP-D markets had reached around 3.8GW of live capacity by H1 2026, with another 1.4GW under construction and 2GW planned.

Investment is also spreading further into markets including Milan, Iberia and the Nordics.

For commissioning recruitment, geography matters.

A project in Sweden isn't necessarily recruiting from a Swedish-only talent pool. The right engineer might currently be working in Finland, Germany, Ireland or somewhere else entirely.

That means European projects can end up competing for the same people across different locations and overlapping commissioning windows.

Turner & Townsend's 2026 European research supports that wider pressure. It identifies specialist labour as a major constraint and says Data Centres are creating particularly strong competition for mechanical, electrical and plumbing capability across the continent.

The issue isn't simply that Europe needs more engineers.

It is how many engineers match the exact requirement of a particular programme.

Why Are Commissioning Engineers Harder To Secure?

Someone can have strong electrical or mechanical construction experience without having delivered the type of testing and verification required during Data Centre commissioning.

Then the shortlist narrows further.

Depending on the package, an employer may need experience around areas such as:

• HV or LV electrical systems
• UPS and generators
• Switchgear
• Cooling systems
• BMS or controls
• Factory and site acceptance testing
• Functional performance testing
• Integrated systems testing
• Technical documentation and close-out

Not every Commissioning Engineer needs experience across all of these. Requirements change depending on the discipline, project, system and stage of commissioning.

Mission-critical experience can narrow the market again.

Redundancy, power resilience, controls, cooling and failure scenarios mean that somebody who has previously worked in highly serviced or critical environments may bring experience that isn't easily replaced by general construction knowledge.

Then there is availability.

The technically right person may already be committed to another project, unwilling to work the required rotation or unable to mobilise to the location within the programme.

Right-to-work status, travel, accommodation, contract duration and personal circumstances can all reduce the realistic shortlist further.

A large database of engineers doesn't automatically mean a large number of people are genuinely available for one commissioning requirement.

That’s why some employers are starting to look beyond traditional Data Centre backgrounds for transferable technical experience.



Here at V7, we’ve explored that idea in more detail in our blog on why Oil & Gas talent could help solve the Data Centre skills gap.

Why Timing Starts To Matter More Near Handover

Not every unfilled role carries the same relationship with project delivery.

A vacancy during an earlier project stage may leave a team stretched or create additional workload.

A missing specialist as testing and handover approach can be harder to work around.

Recruiting late can mean:

• Less choice between suitably experienced engineers
• Greater competition with other European projects
• Less time to check technical fit
• Compressed onboarding and mobilisation
• More dependence on whoever happens to be available
• Less flexibility if testing dates move

That doesn't mean one vacant Commissioning Engineer automatically delays a Data Centre.

It does mean the cost of having fewer options can increase as the project gets closer to the point where that expertise is needed.

What Should Employers Know Before Going To Market?

One of the simplest ways to make commissioning recruitment harder is to start searching before the requirement itself is clear.

Before approaching candidates, employers should try to establish the essentials:

Technical requirement

• Discipline and package
• Systems being commissioned
• Commissioning stage involved
• Responsibilities and required experience

Project

• Location
• Start and expected finish date
• Working pattern or rotation
• Contract or permanent status

Mobilisation

• Right-to-work requirements
• Travel and accommodation arrangements
• Compliance requirements
• Realistic mobilisation date

Hiring process

• Rate or salary
• Interview stages
• Who can approve the hire
• How quickly feedback can realistically be given

Not every detail will always be fixed. Commissioning programmes move and project dates change.

But the clearer the requirement is before it reaches the market, the easier it becomes to identify which engineers are genuinely suitable and available.

Mapping The Market Is Different From Recruiting Early

Planning earlier doesn't mean hiring every Commissioning Engineer months before they are needed.

There is a difference between workforce mapping and active recruitment.

Market mapping can begin while the project is still developing.

It can help employers understand:

• Who has the required experience
• Where those people are currently working
• When their existing projects may finish
• Which locations or rotations they would consider
• What could prevent them from mobilising

Active recruitment can then begin once the requirement, approval and programme are clear enough to have a meaningful conversation with candidates.

There is no universal point at which every Data Centre should begin recruiting commissioning teams.

A large hyperscale programme in the Nordics may face very different challenges from a smaller project in

an established European hub.

The useful question isn't simply "How early should we hire?" It's "How much do we understand about the market before we need to hire?"

What Does This Mean For Commissioning Engineers?

The same specificity matters on the candidate side.

Simply writing "commissioning" on a CV doesn't tell an employer enough about where your experience sits.

Where relevant, make it clear:

• Which systems you've commissioned
• Whether you've worked in Data Centres or other mission-critical environments
• Your involvement in FAT, SAT, functional or integrated testing
• Your electrical, mechanical or controls scope
• The type and complexity of projects you've worked on
• Where you're able to work
• Your right-to-work status
• Your availability and rotation preferences

You don't need to disclose confidential project information.

The aim is to make it easier for an employer or recruiter to understand where your experience actually matches the requirement.

Candidates looking for their next project can explore V7's current Data Centre jobs and connect with the consultants recruiting across European projects.

Supporting Data Centre Commissioning Teams Across Europe

V7 supports Data Centre and Mission Critical projects across Europe with permanent and contract recruitment covering commissioning and wider project-delivery teams.

That can include Commissioning Engineers and Managers alongside Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, MEP Managers, Controls and BMS professionals, QA/QC specialists and project leadership.

For commissioning requirements, the useful measure isn't simply how many CVs can be found.

It is how many people have the right technical experience, are available at the right stage of the programme and can realistically mobilise when the project needs them.

As European Data Centre capacity continues to expand, understanding that market before commissioning becomes urgent gives employers more room to respond when the requirement becomes real.

Hiring for a Data Centre or Mission Critical project?

Speak to V7's Data Centres team, explore our Mission Critical recruitment support or submit your vacancy to discuss the people your programme needs.

Looking for your next project?

Explore V7's current Data Centre vacancies and speak with our specialist consultants.

Author Bio

Josh Ramsay is the Marketing Manager at V7 Recruitment, where he turns industry developments, hiring trends and consultant expertise into practical content for employers and professionals across the sectors V7 serves.

V7 Recruitment provides permanent and contract recruitment support across Construction, Fire & Security, Aviation, Data Centres, Mission Critical, Power Generation and Utilities, connecting businesses with the specialist talent needed to deliver complex projects.