Synopsis:
Yondr has launched a £27,000 STEM scholarship in Slough to support students near its London data centre. The program focuses on digital infrastructure and workforce development through mentorship and internships. Partnering with UK education trusts, it aims to build future talent for the growing cloud industry.
Yondr has introduced a scholarship program in Slough, designed to support a student living near its 100MW London campus as part of its expanding community investment strategy. The initiative offers £27,000 in funding to a local learner pursuing a digital infrastructure STEM subject in higher education, with payments distributed across a three- or four-year degree.
Beyond financial aid, the award may also include mentorship and internship opportunities aimed at strengthening industry readiness. The program reflects the company’s broader commitment to community engagement and long-term social value in regions where it operates as a data centre developer.
According to Ross McConnell, Vice President of Energy & Sustainability at Yondr, the company aims to be a responsible neighbour while strengthening future talent pipelines. He emphasized that the scholarship program is designed to align social mobility with skills development needs in the digital infrastructure sector.
McConnell noted that supporting students from lower socio-economic backgrounds helps unlock opportunity and build a stronger workforce for the data centre industry. He added that similar initiatives are already active in Northern Virginia, Toronto, and Belfast, demonstrating the company’s global commitment.
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Yondr is also linking the initiative to its collaboration with the Activate Learning Education Trust, which manages the Digital Futures Program across several UK technical institutions. These include UTC Heathrow and UTC Reading, both located near the Slough campus and focused on preparing students for careers in advanced engineering, cloud computing, and critical infrastructure technologies while strengthening structured pathways into STEM education.
The partnership is intended to support skills development aligned with the growth of the digital infrastructure sector and build a sustainable pipeline of talent from the surrounding community. Yondr’s earlier scholarship program history includes a focus on women in engineering in Belfast, where the award was given through Queens University Belfast to student Orla Quail, pursuing a MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree. In North America, the company partnered with the NOVA Educational Foundation and Northern Virginia Community College to support five students in engineering technology and data centre operations pathways.
In Canada, a separate initiative supported learners at the University of Toronto, offering annual awards for STEM-related undergraduate degrees. These programs collectively highlight Yondr’s ongoing effort to nurture talent across multiple regions. With the third facility on its London campus nearing completion, Yondr continues to expand its operational footprint while reinforcing its long-term community commitments in Slough.
Ciara Murray, the company’s Sustainability Manager, said data centre development can transform local economies by creating new pathways into technology careers and digital innovation. She explained that the community investment strategy is designed to support education and talent development in the surrounding region, ensuring local residents benefit from industry growth.
