Maricopa Community Colleges and Estrella Mountain Community College, working with a group of Phoenix data center operators, have built a shared technician curriculum the industry can hire from. It is called the Universal Technician program, and the word that matters in the name is "Universal." The curriculum was designed so a graduate can walk into any participating operator's facility on day one and have the work look familiar.

<figure class="video-embed"> <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F26568861116108004%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> <figcaption>Source: QTS on Facebook</figcaption> </figure>

The design process is the part worth paying attention to. Partner operators sat in the same room with Becky Baranowski, Dean of Academic and Workforce Programs at Estrella Mountain Community College, and pooled requirements rather than each writing their own. They asked one question: what does a technician need to know to be productive on day one in a Phoenix data center, regardless of who owns the building. The answer became the curriculum.

The first cohort is funded. Nilam Patel, Chief Development Officer at Maricopa Community Colleges, leads the foundation side that holds the scholarships and disburses tuition and fees. The program is open to other operators who want to add to the pool. A curriculum funded by one operator is a hiring pipeline for that operator. A curriculum funded by several is industry workforce infrastructure.

For Arizona, that distinction matters. Phoenix is on track to add tens of thousands of operations roles across hyperscale and colocation campuses over the next decade. Those positions get filled by community college and trades programs that the industry takes shared responsibility for funding and shaping.

The right next move for any operator hiring technicians in the metro is to call Patel's foundation team and add to the cohort. AZDCA tracks programs like this on the Workforce Resources page. If you want to participate or get involved in the curriculum, contact us.

Source: QTS video on Facebook.