Data Center Event

Submitted by Becky Baranowski on
Duration
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What is the Purpose of the Assessment?

To evaluate the impact of changes implemented between the first and second Data Center Alliance events held at EMCC in collaboration with iMasons, a network of professionals in the data center industry. The goal is to assess whether adjustments made following the inaugural Spring 2024 event led to improvements in outcomes at the second event, held on February 21, 2025.

Describe the necessity for this assessment

This assessment is necessary to determine whether changes made to the event increased student, community, and industry participation. The long-term goal is to expand awareness of the data center industry and connect students with high-wage career opportunities. Currently, many students and community members lack understanding of what data centers are and the variety of roles available within them. Evaluating this event helps us identify strategies to better engage our audiences and strengthen the pathway from education to employment in this growing sector.

Describe how the practice will be implemented

Following a review of the Spring 2024 event, we made several intentional changes to improve participation and impact. These included expanding planning efforts, enhancing statewide marketing, and restructuring the panel format. The 2025 event featured three distinct panels (whereas the 2024 event had two)—Microsoft Scholars, Google representatives (NEW), and the Automated Industrial Technology program—to showcase diverse career pathways within the data center industry. Additionally, the event included tabling opportunities for industry partners, and an iMasons member helped promote the event through both personal connections and a podcast appearance.

Interpret, compare, and describe the results

Spring 2024:
The inaugural event was held in the CTL and featured two main panels: Microsoft Scholars and Automated Industrial Technology. Both panels included current and former students, offering valuable firsthand insight into the Scholars program. Approximately 65 individuals attended, including data center professionals, students, and employees from EMCC and across Maricopa. Promotion efforts included outreach through WESTMARC, EMCC and Maricopa marketing teams (including social media), and word-of-mouth communications. A tour of the EMCC Microsoft Data Center was given to any interested party, and the industry professionals participated in this. 

Spring 2025:
The second event moved to the larger ECC space and expanded to include three 30-minute panels: Microsoft Scholars, Automated Industrial Technology, and Google. Attendance nearly doubled to approximately 125 participants, including one attendee who traveled from Yuma after learning about the event through an iMasons podcast.

Student engagement increased notably due to the addition of industry tabling opportunities, which drew long lines and strong interest. While institutional advertising mirrored the previous year, industry partners amplified promotion via podcasts and social media. There was also a heightened focus on promoting both IT and technician courses, along with expanded visibility for the Microsoft Scholarship.

A new and impactful element added in 2025 was “the ask,” where Becky shared best practices from Northern Virginia Community College’s successful efforts to grow their data center certificate program. These included:

  1. Scholarship opportunities for technician-track students (similar to Microsoft Scholars)
  2. Summer bridge programs
  3. Externships for faculty and staff to shadow at data centers
  4. Encouraging current data center employees to enroll in courses and spread awareness

Following the event, one industry partner committed $10,000 in scholarship funding for students interested in the AIT117 technician course—supporting students at both EMCC and MCC.

Overall:
Both events received positive feedback from participants and maintained consistent hospitality offerings (coffee, continental breakfast, and lunch). The increased attendance, broader industry involvement, and student engagement in Spring 2025 suggest that the enhancements had a meaningful impact.  

After analyzing, and reflecting on the outcome, what are the next steps?

Building on the success of the Spring 2025 event, our next steps include continuing and strengthening our partnership with iMasons and the AZ Data Center Alliance. We plan to expand industry tabling opportunities to further increase student interaction and awareness of potential career paths. Given the event’s success, Mesa Community College is exploring the possibility of hosting a similar event, and we will collaborate to share planning tools and lessons learned.

We also intend to maintain strong promotion of both the Microsoft Scholarship and AIT technician courses. The addition of “the ask” this year—highlighting best practices from Northern Virginia Community College—proved valuable in sparking discussion and engagement. As a result, one industry partner has already committed $10,000 toward student scholarships for the AIT117 course, supporting both EMCC and MCC.

Looking ahead, we aim to:

  • Formalize externship opportunities for faculty and staff to shadow data center professionals
  • Explore summer bridge programs to strengthen student pathways into the field
  • Continue engaging current data center employees in upskilling efforts to support word-of-mouth recruitment
  • Develop simple tools for gathering feedback and tracking student outcomes post-event
  • Reviewing student attendance at events and determine if they registered for any courses that may lead to jobs at a data center

These steps will help deepen the impact of future events, increase enrollment in targeted programs, and continue building sustainable education-to-career pipelines in this high-growth industry.

Abstract

This assessment evaluates changes made to the Spring 2025 Data Center Alliance event at EMCC, hosted in collaboration with iMasons. Following the initial 2024 event, several enhancements were implemented, including expanded panel offerings, increased marketing efforts, the addition of industry tabling, and the incorporation of national best practices from Northern Virginia Community College. Attendance nearly doubled, student engagement significantly increased, and the event resulted in a $10,000 industry scholarship commitment for AIT technician students. The assessment highlights the effectiveness of intentional planning and strategic partnerships in promoting awareness of the data center industry and creating stronger education-to-career pathways.

Note: Laura Porritt is a contributor to this CATS. 

Division/Department
Completed Full Cycle
Yes