Compass Datacenters and Texas State Technical College marked the opening of a new training facility on June 30 with a ribbon-cutting in Red Oak, Texas. A recent Waxahachie Sun feature covers how the new building gives the MEI Data Center Pathways Program a dedicated home and what it means for the local community.
A New Home for Hands-On Training
Compass donated $12.6 million to build the 40,000-square-foot facility at 300 Houston School Road, designed to function as a working replica of an active data center. The ribbon-cutting drew Red Oak Mayor Mark Stanfill, Compass CEO Chris Crosby, TSTC graduates and instructors, and a group of industry partners.
Crosby pointed to the people behind the industry’s infrastructure as the reason for the investment. “These buildings are living, breathing machines, and guess who takes care of them? People,” he said, explaining that the shortage of skilled workers drove the creation of both the program and the new facility.
From the Classroom to the Cloud
Crystal Conroy, an Army veteran and MEI program graduate now working as a technician, described what the work represents. “It is a physical representation of the cloud,” she said, noting that a data center is behind everyday actions like streaming a movie or making a purchase.
The MEI program runs 12 weeks and includes 224 hours of hands-on instruction, requiring no prior experience and reporting a 90% hire rate for graduates. Training covers mechanical, electrical, and motor systems alongside IT and safety certifications, and industry partners were on hand at the event ready to recruit graduates directly.
Addressing Community Concerns
The article also notes the skepticism some Texans have voiced about data centers, including concerns over grid strain, water use, and environmental impact. It points out that Compass is among the few builders in the industry to commission independent third-party ESG assessments annually and publish the results publicly.
Growth in Red Oak
Red Oak is now home to seven data centers. Mayor Stanfill expressed hope that the tax revenue these facilities generate could eventually help lower the city’s tax rate for residents, adding that his goal is to leave the community better than he found it.
