The dedicated 40,000-square-foot facility will be a hands-on training ground for high-demand technical jobs already placing graduates with CBRE, Schneider Electric, Siemens and Salute

• Compass is donating a dedicated training facility at its Red Oak, Texas campus to expand its MEI Data Center Pathway Program at Texas State Technical College.
• Industry partners, including Schneider Electric, Siemens, Vertiv, RK Industries, Brasfield & Gorrie, Catapult Solutions Group, Maverick Power, Rubicon Technical Services and Salute are equipping the facility with real-world systems and infrastructure, giving students hands-on experience with the same technologies supporting digital infrastructure environments.
• The MEI Pathway program is designed for those without a degree or prior experience, preparing graduates to step directly into high-paying careers in mechanical, electrical and IT trades that are critical to America’s digital economy.
• Once complete, the Compass Red Oak campus will host a workforce of more than 400, including both Compass employees and customers operating on-site.

RED OAK, Texas, June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Compass Datacenters today announced a $12.6 million building donation to Texas State Technical College (TSTC) for a facility that will train local students for high-paying technical careers supporting the digital economy.

The new facility will be home to the MEI (Mechanical, Electrical, IT) Data Center Pathway Program, which Compass co-developed with TSTC to give students hands-on training for high-demand technical jobs. With more than 500,000 skilled trade jobs going unfilled each year and demand far outpacing supply, this program is built to help close that gap. Designed for the entire digital industry, the program is open to any company that needs skilled technicians. Compass customers, suppliers, service providers and competitors alike are welcome to participate and to recruit graduates.

“When we build in a community, we commit to it for the long haul,” said Chris Crosby, CEO of Compass Datacenters. “We’re handing TSTC a deed, not a check. This facility will be training a future-ready workforce long after our campus is fully operational. The jobs are real, the demand is real and the people in this region deserve a direct path to them. That’s what this is all about.”

The MEI Pathway program runs for 12 weeks and is built for job seekers and career changers without a degree or prior experience. Students work with real equipment and learn by doing, building the same skills employers are actively hiring for. Dallas/Fort Worth graduates often step into roles paying 30-50% above local median salaries. Already in its second year, the program has placed graduates with industry partners including CBRE, Schneider Electric, Siemens and Salute. 

“We’ve watched students come into this program with no background in the field and walk out ready to start careers that will support their families for decades,” said Mike Reeser, TSTC Chancellor and CEO. “That’s what happens when a curriculum is built around what employers need. This new facility means we will be able to give even more people the same life-changing opportunity.”

Compass put together the partnership, funded full-tuition scholarships for the inaugural class and rallied a coalition of industry peers to co-invest in a unified talent pipeline. As a result, industry partners are stepping up to provide equipment and infrastructure, offer scholarships and recruit graduates into open roles. Schneider Electric, longtime Compass partner and early supporter of the MEI Pathway program, provided scholarships for all students in the second Dallas/Fort Worth cohort.

“Data centers create careers, and this program is helping make that opportunity more accessible. Schneider Electric is proud to partner with Compass Datacenters in support of the MEI Pathway program, bringing our energy tech to help build the skilled talent the AI era demands, right here in Ellis County and across North Texas,” said Vandana Singh, SVP of Secure Power North America at Schneider Electric.

MEI Pathway program graduates have found the job market is red-hot and waiting.

“Siemens has recently hired about a dozen graduates from TSTC’s program. It’s initiatives like the MEI Pathway Program that provide an invaluable talent pipeline as we gear up to hire an additional 200 electrical service technicians,” said Kimberly Blind, Vice President of Customer Service, Electrification and Automation, Siemens Smart Infrastructure USA. “As AI, data centers and advanced industry continue to expand, these advancements are not only transforming how we live and work, they’re also driving increased demand for critical energy infrastructure and a highly skilled American workforce.”

The MEI Pathway program has already been expanded to TSTC’s Abilene campus, and Compass is working with local colleges in other states to extend the MEI Pathway program there. The growing waitlist for the Red Oak program reflects strong community interest. This new facility will allow more people to access the program along with the careers that come with it. 

For more information about the MEI Data Center Pathway Program, please visit: https://www.tstc.edu/workforcetraining/datacenters/

About Compass 

Compass Datacenters does data centers differently. The company develops and operates sustainable Class A, Community-First campuses guided by a 100-year neighbor philosophy that invests in the workforce, infrastructure, and well-being of every community it calls home. Backed by the institutional strength of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Brookfield Infrastructure and KKR, Compass delivers high-quality facilities at speed for the cloud and hyperscale customers driving today’s economy. By combining industrialized, prefabricated design with advanced hybrid cooling, responsible water and energy use, and zero-waste construction, Compass takes a more sustainable approach to digital infrastructure supporting the company’s built-to-last vision. The result is move-in ready capacity that scales efficiently and responsibly. Data Centers Done Differently. 

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SOURCE Compass Datacenters