Microsoft to build $3.3b data centre in Wisconsin
US President Joe Biden is set to visit the political battleground state of Wisconsin on Wednesday, where he will announce Microsoft Corp’s plans to build a $3.3 billion major high-tech data centre, as reported by Reuters.
The project details
- Location: The data centre will be constructed in Racine County, situated in southeastern Wisconsin.
- Background: Interestingly, this is the same land where Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer Foxconn had originally planned to build a $10 billion factory.
- Job creation: The data centre is expected to generate 2,300 union construction jobs during its development phase and approximately 2,000 permanent jobs over time.
- Economic impact: Since President Biden took office, nearly 4,000 jobs have already been added in Racine.
Collaborations and training initiatives
Microsoft will collaborate with Gateway Technical College to train 1,000 individuals specifically for data centre roles by the year 2030.
Additionally, the tech giant aims to train 1,000 business leaders in adopting artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within their operations.
The combined investments by Microsoft and its training initiatives are expected to position the industrial heartland of Wisconsin as a leader in the industries of the future.
During his visit, President Biden will engage with volunteers from Racine’s Black community. These volunteers are being trained to use a new mobile phone app designed to connect with voters they already know, encouraging voter participation.
The Biden campaign has also announced a $14 million ad campaign, with a significant portion allocated to reaching out to Black, Latino, and Asian voters.
