Amazon Web Services and BACCC

Demand for internet infrastructure talent is accelerating, with the United States accounting for approximately 40% of global data center investment and projected growth of 10% annually through 2030. At the same time, students often lack awareness of the wide range of skilled careers that power internet infrastructure - from HVAC and electrical to fiber, networking, and data center operations.

Traditional training pathways did not provide an integrated introduction to internet infrastructure careers across trades and technology. Colleges, employers, apprenticeship programs, and workforce agencies needed a coordinated model that could expose students to multiple career pathways while aligning with industry demand and federal infrastructure priorities.

In collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the Bay Area Community College Consortium (BACCC), joint apprenticeship training centers, workforce development boards, and employers, Eleven Tenths leadership supported the design and pilot of the AWS Internet Infrastructure Workshop.

The result was a free, 80-hour, two-week program launched at San Jose City College combining classroom instruction, hands-on training, industry facility tours, and direct employer engagement. More than half of the workshop was delivered at industry training facilities, data center construction sites, and operating data centers. Curriculum modules covered fiber, power, mechanical systems, networking, building controls, and sustainable energy - emphasizing applied learning using real-world equipment.

The program was fully documented to enable replication by colleges nationwide.

The pilot successfully demonstrated a scalable, cross-sector workforce model aligned with industry growth and infrastructure investment. Students were introduced to high-demand career pathways, employers engaged directly with participants, and the framework was positioned for national replication as part of AWS's broader workforce development initiatives.