Cheyenne tech leaders and educators highlight training, trade pipelines for data‑center jobs

Caitlin Russ, a local computer science teacher, pressed CTAC and industry on how to prepare students for data‑center and AI‑related jobs. "I am always looking at this from the perspective of my students and how I can best prepare them for jobs in the field," Russ said.

Courtney Thompson of Lanavi described partnerships with Laramie County Community College (LCCC) and the University of Wyoming to align coursework with local openings and said Lanavi offers both on‑site and remote roles. "We've partnered with LCCC and the University of Wyoming to really make sure that our jobs are positioned...for the people coming out of those entities," she said.

Thompson recommended a mix of on‑the‑job training, trade‑school style certificates, and specialized short programs over a strict four‑year path for many operational roles such as structured cabling, HVAC and generator maintenance; she said the company prefers to promote from within but will hire specialists from outside when needed. "We love to promote from within," she said. "Part of our mantra is really just progression, continual development."

The session also urged earlier STEM exposure and community activities that make towns attractive to young families. Russell said district support for concurrent enrollment and new trades programs has grown, but added that students still often leave Wyoming for broader opportunities. CTAC members suggested local robotics clubs, hackathons and partnerships with small businesses to create the amenities and critical mass that retain talent.

Speakers asked CTAC to continue facilitating communication between schools, community colleges and employers to scale training pipelines as new facilities come online.