Compass Datacenters CEO Chris Crosby discusses the growing demand for blue-collar workers in the data center industry at his company’s sprawling Red Oak, Texas campus. Since 2019, Compass has developed a facility totaling 2.6 million square feet, employing over 900 people and creating thousands more construction jobs. The company also partnered with Texas State Technical College to build a $12.6 million training facility aimed at preparing individuals for careers in mechanical, electrical, and IT fields without requiring prior qualifications. Crosby emphasizes the economic impact of data centers, highlighting their potential to generate significant job opportunities and tax revenue in local communities.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In Red Oak, Texas, Schneider Electric and other companies are experiencing a boom in blue-collar jobs due to the rapid expansion of data centers. The CEO of Compass Datacenters, Chris Crosby, emphasizes the importance of these roles, noting that around 900 people work at Compass's Red Oak campus alone. Construction for the site began in 2019, and it now includes 10 data center buildings covering about 2.6 million square feet. Crosby argues that data centers will be a major economic driver going forward, creating jobs and generating tax revenue for local communities as they expand.
Written for “Blue Collar Job Growth Usa” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but none of the 2 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 58464: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-05
Inside a sprawling Texas data center campus, blinking tower lights and rows of neatly organized cables power the technology Americans use every day.
asserted
Americans → sprawl → technology
Keeping it all running, however, takes an army of electricians, mechanics, technicians and construction workers — and the industry says it needs more of them.
asserted
it → keep → them
"Unfortunately, there was a war on blue-collar jobs a while back and everybody had to get a four-year degree.
asserted
everybody → be → degree
I’m so glad that’s over with," Compass Datacenters CEO Chris Crosby told Fox News Digital while giving a glimpse behind the scenes of the infrastructure that powers the digital world.
asserted
that → ’m → world
"I am tired of the elitism that this doesn't create jobs," Crosby said, arguing that blue-collar careers deserve to be taken seriously.
asserted
careers → create → jobs
He pointed to the workers at Compass’s Red Oak campus and the construction crews who built it.
asserted
who → point → it
"You tell that to the 900 people who work here on this campus and you tell that to the thousands of construction workers who have worked here for five years plus," he said.
asserted
he → tell → years
Compass began developing its Red Oak campus, about 20 miles south of Dallas, in 2019.
asserted
Compass → begin → 2019
The site now includes 10 data center buildings totaling about 2.6 million square feet, a Schneider Electric manufacturing facility and a technical college training program.
asserted
site → include → feet
Crosby said more than 600 people work full time at the campus, with roughly 300 more at Schneider Electric.
asserted
people → say → Electric
The construction also requires a range of skilled tradespeople, Crosby said.
asserted
Crosby → require → tradespeople
"When we look at that type of opportunity, the amount of electricians, the amount of mechanical contractors, the number of builders, the carpenters, the welders, the concrete folk, it’s awesome.
asserted
it → look → builders
We can’t get enough people into this career."
asserted
We → get → career
The demand also reaches beyond construction sites to factories producing data center components.
asserted
demand → reach → components
Compass and its partners, Crosby said, have created more than 7,000 permanent factory jobs nationwide.
asserted
Crosby → say → jobs
To help meet the industry’s demand for workers, Compass partnered with Texas State Technical College to build a $12.6 million training facility at its Red Oak campus.
asserted
Compass → meet → campus
The company created its MEI Pathways program—short for Mechanical, Electrical and IT Pathways—to prepare people for those careers.
asserted
company → create → careers
"The big challenge is how do I get the first step?" Crosby said.
asserted
Crosby → get → step
"That’s what MEI Pathways is designed to do."
asserted
Pathways → ’ → what
The program is open to anyone interested in the field and does not require prior qualifications, Crosby said.
asserted
Crosby → require → qualifications
It is designed to train workers for the broader industry, not just for Compass.
asserted
It → design → Compass
Crosby said building that workforce will be increasingly important as data centers expand and argued that the facilities can bring jobs and tax revenue to the communities where they are built.
"Data centers are where the economic engine is going to be going forward," he said.
asserted
he → say → communities
"You’re talking about massive amounts of jobs, economic activity and tax revenue growth."
asserted
You → talk → jobs
The Aporia
