Microsoft is moving its first-ever data center in Wisconsin. It's a major project in Racine County's once fertile fields that will create good-paying jobs.
You've probably heard about this project in the news. But who benefits from this billion-dollar development and why is it so important for our regional digital economy?
Every day, Takis Kinis teaches students who are interested in the computer technology industry and excited about their future.
“Everything is changing, the world is changing very quickly,” said Kinis, an IT instructor at Gateway Technical College’s Racine Campus.
He knows a rapidly changing world presents opportunities for students hoping to land a job at Microsoft's multibillion-dollar development project in Mount Pleasant.
“I think they are expecting 400 IT jobs in their new data center, at least in the first phase. That’s a lot of employees.”
It is already a massive undertaking involving cranes and earthmoving vehicles. 200 workers are on site – up to 1,000 jobs will be created during the peak construction phase for Microsoft's new data center campus.
Jim Paetsch walked TMJ4's Charles Benson through the project behind the fence of a busy construction zone.
He is senior vice president and executive director of the Milwaukee 7.
Microsoft has more than 300 data centers in 34 countries, but this is the tech giant's first in Wisconsin.
Benson: “What does it mean for this region to be in a position to be on this track?”
Paetsch: “I think that is crucial. Now that Microsoft is here, I think it confirms even more the direction and development of this region, and it really helps us even more to be part of the digital economy of the 21st century.”
The blockbuster project is not far from the scaled-back Foxconn development, which never met its original $10 billion expectation.
However, the initial infrastructure investments in this location helped Mount Pleasant attract Microsoft.
The company hopes to complete the first data center by 2025. According to Microsoft, there are an average of 300 to 400 workstations on a typical data center campus.
Paetsch is with M-7, an organization that works with business and community leaders to create regional economic opportunities like Microsoft.
Large companies also help recruit and retain local technology and college graduates.
“We are fortunate to have many large global companies in this region that call this region home,” Paetsch said. “Adding Microsoft to this roster gives us even more power as we think about how to keep our kids here.”
The company is already planning to partner with Gateway Technical College to establish a data center academy.
With one- and two-year degrees already available in cybersecurity, computer support, AI and data analytics, Kinis sees the door to new opportunities wide open.
“We may think right now that it’s too late to get into the IT game, but that’s not the case,” Kinis said. We are still at the beginning of the whole process.”
According to Gateway, 2,200 students earned an associate degree or technical diploma in the previous academic year.
Tuition and fees run about $10,000 for an IT associate degree — with graduates earning up to $50,000 per year, or nearly $90,000 for data analysis or cybersecurity jobs.
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