Google invests $3.6 million to launch data center academy in Abilene

________________________ Google is committing more than $3.6 million to Texas State Technical College to establish a new MEI (Mechanical, Electrical, and Information) Data Center Academy in Abilene, a workforce initiative aimed at preparing students for careers in the rapidly expanding data center industry. The investment will fund the development of training infrastructure, scholarships, and program expansion. The announcement came as TSTC recognized the first graduating class of its 16-week Data Center Operator program, which trained students through an intensive evening schedule designed to build industry-ready skills. TSTC advanced manufacturing instructor Larry Brickner explained that Google’s investment will expand the program beyond Abilene and support long-term training efforts across multiple campuses. “Our graduation ceremony took place on Thursday. Google, which initially paid for student seats in the program, announced a $3.6 million investment in partnership with TSTC to establish a data center academy in Abilene and expand it to additional campuses,” Brickner said. “The funding is intended to build out these academies and support scholarships through 2029.” Brickner added that the investment arrives amid growing demand across Texas for skilled workers in the data center industry. “They’re trying to fill as many roles as possible, and we’re very short on trained technicians,” he said. “With the state of Texas continuing to invest in career training programs, we’re seeing additional funding come in to help us train more Texans, upskill more workers, and fill these jobs locally so that companies don’t have to rely on bringing in workers from outside markets.” With millions of dollars now committed, attention turns to how the investment will be managed. KTXS asked, “How will TSTC ensure this investment is effectively used to expand and upgrade its data center training program?” Brickner outlined plans to upgrade facilities and equip the academy with industry-standard training tools. “A training lab like this typically costs about $2.4 million to build. Industry experts are helping us make sure that we purchase the right equipment. Our Highway 80 campus has traditionally been used for accelerated workforce training, and we’re going to upgrade that facility because we’re at capacity here. We need a dedicated center that uses the same technology and equipment found in the industry today. This investment will allow us to be more focused on data center operations, with server racks, chillers, and HVAC systems that are specifically designed to match what students will encounter out there in the field.” Full academy classes are expected to begin in 2027. DETAILS: https://ktxs.com/news/local/google-invests-36-million-to-launch-data-center-academy-in-abilene Follow us on social media: KTXS News on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KTXSTelevision KTXS News on X https://x.com/KTXS_News KTXS News on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ktxsnews/?hl=en For more information, visit https://ktxs.com/ Have a news tip? Send it to us at news@ktxs.com #google #investment #datacenter