066: Mission Control: Demystifying Data Centers with Carrie Goetz

About this episode

Sher Downing interviews Carrie Goetz about the significance of data centers and the diverse career opportunities they offer.

In this episode of Forward Thinking Experts , host Sher Downing, PhD sits down with Carrie Goetz —Principal, CTO, Amazon bestselling author, and global data center leader—to explore the fascinating world of data centers and the career opportunities they unlock. Carrie shares her unique journey from architecture and teaching to building networking divisions, commissioning and decommissioning data centers, and traveling millions of miles worldwide to support IT infrastructure. She breaks down what data centers really are (hint: think mission control ), why they matter to everyone—even if you don’t know they exist—and how careers in this hidden industry are more diverse and accessible than ever before. Together, Sher and Carrie dive into: Why data centers are everywhere (but often invisible). The importance of diversity of thought in tech careers. Career pathways for women, trades, and veterans in data centers. How the Educator’s Reference Guide is filling a massive curriculum gap. The 300+ jobs in data centers—from electricians to marketing pros—and why many don’t require a degree. How AI is reshaping hiring, resumes, and the future of tech work. Whether you’re an educator, a…

People in this episode

Host: Sher Downing

Guest: Carrie Goetz

Topics covered

• data centers
• career opportunities
• diversity in tech
• AI in hiring
• infrastructure
• education

Keywords

• data centers
• career pathways
• diversity
• AI
• infrastructure
• education
• technology
• jobs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Amazon

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