A landmark investment in Mississippi has announced it will implement Amazon’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing division, building two data center complexes for $10 billion. AWS’s move to Madison County, Miss., marks the largest capital investment in the state’s history.
In coordination with the Madison County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA), AWS will build multiple data center complexes in two Madison County industrial parks, which are projected to create at least 1,000 new jobs.
Multiple benefits
In addition to the investment, Amazon will also provide support for STEAM awareness and learning opportunities for K-12 school systems in Mississippi, with the goal of developing training programs and work-based learning opportunities in data center construction and operations, as well as and the broadband expansion industry.
Amazon will also support educational institutions and independent learners with free, ready-to-learn cloud computing curriculum for specific skills and roles cloud computing skills such as cloud support, software development and data integration. This builds on an existing AWS commitment to provide free cloud computing skills training to 29 million people worldwide by 2025.
Strategic moves
This is Amazon’s fourth major investment in the cloud-computing business in the past 12 months. In July, the company said it would invest $7.8 billion through 2030 to expand data center operations in Ohio.
Additionally, in May Amazon said it would commit $12.7 billion to expand its cloud infrastructure in India by 2030, and in January it said it would invest $35 billion by 2040 to expand data centers in Virginia.
“Since 2011, AWS has invested more than $108 billion in the US territory to support customers of all kinds and in all industries in their digital transformation,” Roger Wehner, AWS director of economic development, explained to ChainStoreAge.
“Building on this, we are excited to expand our operations in Mississippi through this planned $10 billion investment, which will leverage the growing technology sector across the state to create new, well-paying jobs and strengthen RES of the state every year. We look forward to offering new workforce development opportunities and educational programs that support the next generation of talent.”
Since 2010, Amazon says it has invested $2.3 billion in the state of Mississippi, including five fulfillment and sorting centers, four delivery stations, five solar farms and a wind farm.
