Microsoft to partner with Ivy Tech in La Porte to launch Data Center Academy
LA PORTE, Ind. -- Students in the La Porte Community School Corporation could soon begin training for careers in the growing data center industry through what district leaders say will be Indiana's first Data Center Academy.
The academy, a partnership between Microsoft and Ivy Tech Community College is expected to begin serving students during the 2027-28 school year.
The program will offer college credit and hands-on experience with data center technology, preparing students for careers at Microsoft's expanding La Porte campus.
Microsoft has previously announced plans to create more than 300 local construction jobs while building the campus. Once the first data center building becomes operational, the school corporation hopes their students will be the first to work at the facility.
Superintendent Sandra Wood said the partnership aligns with the district's goal of becoming a destination for families and educators.
"We talked about the idea of becoming a destination district with the goal of being the place that people want to send their kids, the place where staff want to work," Dr. Wood said.
The project also carries long-term financial benefits for the school corporation.
Microsoft will pay its full property taxes without receiving tax incentives through the city's redevelopment commission. Under the agreement, La Porte Community Schools will receive 15% of those tax revenues for the next 20 years.
Dr. Wood said the investment could help address a longstanding challenge of retaining young people in the community after graduation.
"The reality is we really want them to stay here, and a lot of students lately have been moving on and finding opportunities because there haven't been those opportunities for jobs," Wood said. "There hasn't been an industry here in La Porte to support them."
The academy will provide students with practical experience using decommissioned servers supplied by Microsoft, allowing them to train on the same types of equipment used in modern data centers.
A dedicated space has already been set aside for the academy, according to the district.