As data centers spread across the country to keep pace with AI and cloud demand, Compass is making sure the people who keep them running have a clear way in, especially veterans whose military experience already lines up with the work.
Compass Datacenters recently donated a $12.6 million, 40,000-square-foot building on its Red Oak, Texas campus to Texas State Technical College (TSTC), giving a major boost to the college’s MEI Data Center Pathway Program. The 12-week track trains students in the mechanical, electrical and IT systems behind data center operations, no four-year degree or prior industry experience needed.
“When we build in a community, we commit to it for the long haul,” said Compass CEO Chris Crosby. “We’re handing TSTC a deed, not a check.”
A Program Already Changing Lives
The pathway has real results to point to. Navy veteran Michael Carvalho, who sustained a traumatic brain injury during his service, was part of the program’s very first cohort. He’s now a multi-skilled operator at Compass’ Red Oak facility.
“I’d seen what they were doing at Compass, and it reminded me of what I did in the military before my traumatic brain injury,” Carvalho said. “This program gave me back the skills I had once thrived in.”
Why Veterans Fit This Work
Chris has been vocal about why military service translates so well to data center careers:
- The discipline and technical aptitude built in uniform map directly onto mission-critical infrastructure roles
- Data centers run around the clock, rewarding the same troubleshooting instincts, safety habits and steady focus veterans bring from the field
- Graduates move into roles like HVAC technicians, electrical specialists, motor control technicians and facilities engineers, careers that can pay 30 to 50 percent above local median salaries
Compass also partners with organizations like Salute and Overwatch to connect veteran graduates directly with employers, building a hiring pipeline on top of the training pipeline.
Meeting a Fast-Growing Need
Demand for these skills isn’t slowing down. Siemens alone has already hired 15 program graduates and plans to bring on 200 more in the next 18 months. With data center growth accelerating nationwide, the MEI Pathway offers something rare: a short, practical, hands-on route into a high-demand field.
At Compass, this is a reminder that building infrastructure for the next 50 to 100 years means investing in the people and communities who help build and run it, today.
