Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
AI, immersive learning, and global collaboration all depend on resilient infrastructure, while the growing number of roles in the data center industry is leading to a demand for candidates with these technical skills.
Compass Datacenters recognizes that the future of digital infrastructure requires an alternative approach to education. The company is promoting new pathways to fill this skills gap, with training that spans mechanical, electrical systems, and IT.
“Compass is not only building the foundation for the requirements of modern education but developing pathways for new, high-impact careers. When knowledge can move freely, opportunity moves with it,” says Compass CEO Chris Crosby.
Alongside designing and constructing data centers for the world’s largest hyperscalers and cloud providers, the company is developing a workforce that is focused on continuous improvement that requires constant learning to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.
The Texas-based company invests in ongoing training and professional development at both its headquarters and global campuses. It also runs virtual training sessions and ensures these courses are standardized for consistency.
Building a data center requires a unique blend of both practical skills and technical knowledge – a mix of what historically would be described as blue- and white-collar roles. Compass has helped to create a dedicated education pathway program that bridges the gap between these “new-collar” careers.
Compass partners with local technical colleges, such as Texas State Technical College (TSTC), to offer a career pathway into high-paying technical jobs which will support the expansion of digital infrastructure in the coming decades.
The Mechanical, Electrical and Information Technology (MEI) Data Center Pathway Program is an intensive curriculum-based course that equips candidates with hands-on training and the skills needed to work in the growing data center industry.
Compass is striving to meet SDG 4, which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
“Compass supports this by creating ‘new-collar’ pathways into the global economy,” says Crosby. “These are high-paying careers that do not require a four-year degree.”
The provision of innovative, long-term jobs in regions beyond just the major cities has far-reaching effects. It delivers opportunities for communities, from accessing new career paths without a conventional education to greater labor mobility, as people can retrain in a different industry and live in new locations.
“As our economy evolves, it’s crucial that the education we provide prepares students for jobs that are in demand,” says Marcus Balch, TSTC’s North Texas campus provost. “Our partnership with Compass Datacenters gives us the ability to ensure that we’re responding to growing demand for data center workers and creating unique opportunities for our students.”
The MEI Data Center Pathway Program provides 234 hours of instruction for potential data center operatives.
