On March 4, 2025, Microsoft joined Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) in a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of the new Valley Datacenter Academy. Located in CVCC’s state-of-the-art Workforce Solutions Complex, the Datacenter Academy is a workforce development program in which Microsoft collaborates with CVCC to train students for skills and certifications which will enable them to gain employment in the growing cloud computing and IT sectors.

“Today marks a monumental step forward in shaping the future of technology education and workforce development in our community” states Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, CVCC President. “We are proud to offer a world-class facility that will equip the next generation of technology professionals with the skills they need to succeed in an ever-evolving digital landscape.”

The newly opened facility provides students with a real-world, hands-on learning environment, featuring a mock datacenter equipped with decommissioned servers, racks, and networking gear recycled and donated from Microsoft Circular Centers.

“Microsoft is proud to sponsor this lab, demonstrating our dedication to education and innovation in IT,” states Kelly Arnold, Community Affairs Regional Manager. “The lab will help students gain real-world skills, earn certifications, and get hands-on experience to prepare them for jobs in the rapidly evolving technology industry.”

The Datacenter Academy expands CVCC’s program offerings in Information Technology.  By providing training and education in the community, the Valley Datacenter Academy cultivates a well-prepared talent pool for companies like Microsoft to meet their workforce needs.