Building career pathways in southern New Mexico

By Denise Hobbs, senior director, Oracle Academy—Aug 26, 2026

As AI and cloud technology help us reinvent how we live and work—similar to past internet and cellular revolutions—the infrastructure behind that technology is creating new opportunities for communities across the country.

Data centers are part of that story. While they power an increasingly digital world, they are built and operated by people with a wide range of skills, from construction and electrical systems to networking, operations, safety, security, and technology. For communities like southern New Mexico, that creates an opportunity to connect students and workers with new career pathways close to home.

Those pathways don't begin when someone applies for a job. They begin much earlier, with education, exposure to new possibilities, and opportunities for students to develop skills that can grow with them throughout their careers. Through Oracle Academy, we’re already working with educators in New Mexico including New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico, and Doña Ana Community College to help students build technology skills and explore pathways into careers, including those supporting data centers.

That was the focus of a recent Community Education Day, where local education leaders and Oracle came together to discuss how education and industry can work together to prepare students for a rapidly changing workforce.

Helping students see what's possible

For Gabby Alaniz, executive director of the Teacher Learning Center at Las Cruces Public Schools, that preparation starts early. Exposure to technology, innovation, and career-connected learning can help students discover their interests, build confidence, and begin imagining opportunities they may not otherwise have considered.

As technology changes the nature of work, students also need to understand that there isn't one path into a technology career. Opportunities can begin with career and technical education, certifications, apprenticeships, two- or four-year degrees, or a combination of education and work experience.

William McCabe, vice president of Oracle Academy, believes collaboration between education and industry is increasingly important as the pace of technological change accelerates.

“Technology and workforce requirements are moving at such a rapid pace that even those employed in technology need to dedicate a lot of time to learning new skills,” McCabe said.

For nearly 30 years, Oracle Academy has worked with educators around the world, providing free curriculum, technology, and professional development to help bring computing knowledge and skills into the classroom. That collaboration can help educators expose students to emerging technologies while building a foundation for lifelong learning.

Building skills for careers that evolve

Preparing for the future doesn't mean predicting exactly what every job will look like.

“Students should prepare for jobs where technology meets the real world,” said Michael Little, vice president of Oracle Data Center Operations. “AI will create new roles, but many of them will still need hands-on skills. Someone has to build the systems. Someone has to maintain them. Someone has to protect them. Someone has to solve problems when things need to be fixed.”

That's particularly true for data centers, which rely on people across construction, electrical systems, cooling, networking, operations, safety, and other disciplines.

And while technical knowledge matters, Little believes the ability to keep learning may be even more important.

“The tools you use today may not be the tools you use five years from now,” he said. Students need strong technical foundations, but also communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and the ability to learn from mistakes.

Connecting education to opportunity

That connection between education and industry is particularly meaningful as new infrastructure investment comes to southern New Mexico.

Project Jupiter is expected to support approximately 7,000 construction jobs and 1,500 operational jobs, with operational roles averaging $75,000 to $100,000 plus benefits. Oracle is also focused on local hiring, training, and upskilling so New Mexicans can participate in opportunities created by the project. Already, nearly 700 New Mexico residents are working onsite.

But the broader goal isn't simply to prepare people for one company or one job. Skills in construction, electrical systems, cybersecurity, networking, automation, and data can open doors across industries and give students a foundation they can continue building on throughout their careers.

For Little, who began his own career as an electrician and continued his education through community college, that possibility is personal.

“What excites me most is that students here do not have to leave their community to be part of big change,” he said. “A student could start in a trade, move into technology, grow into leadership, and build a strong career right here in southern New Mexico.”

When students can see new possibilities early, develop skills that evolve with technology, and connect those skills to meaningful careers close to home, investment can create opportunity that lasts far beyond any single project.