Ohio ranks fifth nationally in data center concentration, with nearly 200 facilities statewide, according to the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel.
Industry leaders such as Meta, Amazon Web Services, and Google maintain major operations across Greater Columbus. Direct Line, part of CBRE’s Data Center Solutions business, is a trusted partner, connecting top tech giants with the talent that keeps their data centers in Ohio running at peak performance.
Direct Line has brought workforce development leader NCUS TEC into its model and found them to be the solution for building a skilled workforce capable of supporting Ohio’s massive data center expansion.
With companies projected to invest up to $40 billion more in Ohio data centers by 2030, Direct Line’s successful collaboration with NCUS TEC ensures the critical talent infrastructure is in place to make that investment productive from day one.
“We’re proud to play a critical role in building the workforce infrastructure that supports both our students’ success and the state’s economic future,” said Perry Gregory, president of NCUS TEC. “Our collaboration with our partners ensures that as Ohio’s data center footprint continues to expand, local talent is ready to step in, make an immediate impact, and help power this industry’s growth.”
Thus far, data centers have delivered significant economic returns statewide, according to the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation, including more than 95,000 jobs in 2024 and a contribution of $11.8 billion to Ohio’s GDP, also in 2024.
That demand for skilled talent is driving a new generation of college and high school graduates to NCUS TEC, where hands-on training and strong workforce partnerships prepare them to step directly into sustainable, in-demand careers.
James Johnson, a college graduate, became unemployed in February 2023 after recently finding out he had a child on the way. In addition, his father passed away three weeks before he lost his job.
“Everything all happened so fast,” said Johnson. “I was living my worst nightmare.”
Johnson heard about NCUS TEC and decided to enroll in the institution’s Broadband Futures training program. Before finishing the program, he landed a six-month contract job.
In 2025, Johnson earned another advanced certification in Light Brigade, giving him more in-depth fiber optics expertise.
Today, he works for Direct Line, earning a six-figure salary while helping expand a Meta data center in nearby New Albany. Before losing his job, Johnson was earning between $35,000 and $40,000.
“NCUS TEC revolutionized and changed the trajectory of my quality of life,” said Johnson.
With a 100% graduation rate in the Broadband Futures training program, 95% of NCUS TEC students land high-growth careers earning $35–$55 per hour, often with overtime.
Nationally, the annual median pay for general telecommunications technicians in 2024 was $64,310, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Ohio’s data center industry is booming, and forward-thinking workforce partners are providing the critical talent infrastructure to support this growth. Skilled, job-ready professionals are being prepared to meet evolving industry demands and drive Ohio’s digital economy well into the future.
