As explained by the Head of Microsoft for Greece, Cyprus and Malta, Gianna Andronopoulou, the first major investment of the technological giant in our country will be deployed soon enough with the contractor construction group (out of a total of three interested parties), who will undertake the Project to be announced by the end of the week.
In an informative meeting of the company with journalists, Ms. Andronopoulou said that the preliminary works are starting on the 85-acre property where the two Data Centers will be built. In the first building with a total area of 10,000 sq.m, 30% of the coverage factor will be utilized with an industrial building, 8 meters high, which will house the mechanical equipment, the servers and above the cooling systems of the servers. As the executives of the company said, this is a "green" development which is expected to receive international certification. In the first phase, the first part will operate with a potential of 19.2 MW.
The company, as Ms. Andronopoulou, is in discussions with ADMIE for the conclusion of a private agreement that will concern the development of the appropriate networks for Microsoft's energy sufficiency.
With the presentation of an integrated cooperation program with the Municipality of Spata for the support of the local community in the fields of Education, Work and Culture, the preliminary works for the construction of the Data Center will begin. According to Microsoft, "the collaboration with the Municipality of Spatas aims to highlight the great cultural and historical heritage of the region, create opportunities for its residents and prescribe an ambitious future by investing through education, in the new generation that attends the ten public schools in the area".
EDUCATION
In particular, the program provides students with access to the educational and training game Minecraft Education in order to, with the guidance of their teachers and professors, "redesign" their city by applying environmentally sustainable principles. This collective exercise will coincide with the start of work on the Microsoft Data Center, which will, among other things, operate with a zero footprint on the environment, powered by 100% energy from renewable sources.
EMPLOYMENT
At the same time, Microsoft in collaboration with the Municipality of Spata - Artemida will offer residents of the area free learning and certification of modern digital skills, of different levels, depending on the particular needs of the beneficiaries: From basic training for vulnerable population groups to more specialized training and certification which open new career paths for the beneficiaries.
CULTURE
In the context of preserving the local cultural heritage, Microsoft in collaboration with Istorima and its co-founder Sofia Papaioannou are launching "cloud stories".
Hiring young women and men from the Spata area as local researchers who will highlight the stories of the people of the local community. Already the first two researchers who were introduced to the journalistic public - Maria Kontakis and Anastasis Rebuskos - made reference, among other things, to the rich histories of the place, talking about the Arvanites, the vineyards and the customs of the region. Regarding the start of the work, Mrs. Andronopoulou said she was proud that Microsoft opened the way for investments in digital infrastructure in Greece. He said that after the necessary maturation period, the approval of the relevant studies, the issuance of the Presidential Decree and the permission for preliminary works, the construction of the Data Center begins immediately.
Mrs. Andronopoulou also spoke about the "GRforGrowth 2.0 the AI era" initiative, which is an evolution of "GrforGrowth" in the context of which Microsoft Hellas has trained 60,000 people in new digital skills and has certified more than 20,000.
The second phase of the initiative continues to democratize access to digital education - with an eye now on Artificial Intelligence. Already, in collaboration with ReGenaration, Microsoft Hellas implements the AI 360 School which trains and certifies 1000 people from all over the country for free with the aim of immediate employment of at least 50%. With equal representation of women & men, the program is for the first time also aimed at people 45+ with or without a STEM and/or computer science educational background. This is the first and largest AI training/certification initiative for the country.
"GRforGrowth 2.0 the AI era", will focus on three pillars: Learning, work and innovation, with actions and collaborations that will contribute to the emergence of an ecosystem of people, businesses and organizations that will make the promise of Artificial Intelligence a reality in Greece.
