Per Scholas and Equinix Foundation Launch Critical Facilities Training Program to Build the Next Generation of Data Center Talent

BRONX, NY — July 13, 2026 — Per Scholas, a national workforce accelerator leading in no-cost technology training, has secured a multi-year grant commitment from the Equinix Foundation to launch and expand training for high-demand Critical Facilities and data center careers. The investment will support the expansion of Per Scholas’ new Critical Facilities Training Program, currently running in Atlanta and planning to scale across four other key U.S. markets where hiring demand is outpacing supply, including Dallas, TX, Northern Virginia, and Columbus, OH, and one additional market to be announced. This expansion reinforces Per Scholas’ role as a premier workforce accelerator preparing individuals from underrepresented backgrounds for high-wage careers in the digital economy.

As AI accelerates across industries, the constraint on growth is shifting from software development to the talent needed to build and operate the physical infrastructure that powers it. Data centers, cloud networks, and advanced energy systems now form the backbone of the AI economy, and demand for skilled Critical Facilities technicians has surged accordingly. The Uptime Institute estimates the data center industry is currently facing a shortage of more than 2 million workers globally.

“AI is fundamentally reshaping the labor market, and the infrastructure behind it has become one of the most essential and fastest-growing career pathways in the country,” said Caitlyn Brazill, Per Scholas President. “This partnership ensures that local residents are not only included in the AI economy, but are trained and positioned to power it.”

The Per Scholas and Equinix Foundation collaboration directly addresses the workforce gap by aligning training with real-world employer needs. The new Critical Facilities curriculum is designed in close partnership with industry employers and prepares learners for careers maintaining the power, cooling, and building systems that keep data centers running—including roles such as Critical Facilities Engineer, Facilities Engineer and Building Systems Technician.

“The growth of the digital economy is creating enormous economic opportunity, but too often the communities closest to that growth are not sharing fully in its benefits,” said Paige Rodgers, Director, Equinix Foundation and Equinix Community Impact. “Our collaboration with Per Scholas is about changing that by creating pathways into high-demand careers in digital infrastructure and helping more people have access to the life changing opportunities this industry creates. We invite other employers to join us in building a stronger, more inclusive talent pipeline so that the benefits of digital growth are shared more broadly across the communities we serve.”

The Critical Facilities Program moves beyond traditional IT training to focus on the physical systems that ensure continuous uptime for mission-critical environments. Learners develop hands-on expertise in power, cooling, and monitoring systems, preparing them for industry-recognized certifications. Training is delivered through a highly immersive, lab-based model that integrates AR/VR learning tools and specialized equipment, mirroring real-world data center environments. In total, the program is expected to train more than 300 learners in a 2-year period, with an anticipated 85%+ graduation rate and 80% job attainment within one year of completion. 

Designed with significant employer input, including the Equinix Global Operations Academy team, the program emphasizes operational resilience, troubleshooting under pressure, and execution in high-stakes technical environments.

The Equinix Foundation’s investment serves as a catalytic funding anchor, enabling Per Scholas to expand specialized training infrastructure and secure advanced laboratory equipment required for the Critical Facilities curriculum. 

About Per Scholas

As Per Scholas celebrates 30 years of impact, we are charting an ambitious path forward—aiming to train and upskill 25,000 technologists annually by 2030, expanding access to high-growth tech careers and fostering economic mobility nationwide. Since 1995, we’ve offered no-cost tech training to more than 35,000 technologists in the most sought-after tech skills. On average, our learners earn 3x their pre-training wage in their first role after Per Scholas. With 25 campuses and remote programs, we partner with employers—from Fortune 500 companies to startups—to create inclusive talent pipelines in fields like Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, and Software Engineering. More than half of our learners hold a high school diploma as their highest educational credential. We are building a future where successful careers in tech are accessible to everyone across urban, suburban, and rural communities, empowering individuals to unlock their potential and drive transformative economic change nationwide.

Learn more at PerScholas.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

About the Equinix Foundation 

The Equinix Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Equinix, Inc., is dedicated to enabling a more accessible, sustainable, and interconnected digital future for everyone, everywhere. In collaboration with partners and fueled by the passion of employees, the Foundation drives digital inclusion through three key impact areas: access to digital infrastructure and connectivity, digital literacy and skill building, and technical career development for data center operations.