Mark Pacheco never imagined he’d be working in a data center. For 13 years, he was a mechanical operations leader at Norfolk Southern Railroad, becoming a journeyman at just 18 years old. But when Amazon announced plans to build a data center in New Carlisle, Indiana, Mark saw an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. 

“I had no idea about what actually took place in a data center itself,” Mark admits. Coming from collision repair work, the world of fiber optics and server racks was daunting. But AWS’s IP2A program changed everything. The paid training program taught him how to handle delicate fiber optic cables, distinguish different types of connectors, and understand the complex systems that power our digital lives. 

Now, while working on infrastructure delivery at the South Bend campus, Mark prepares positions for server racks, managing the intricate cabling that makes cloud computing possible. Within just six months, he’s already training new builders. In fact, his mechanical background translated perfectly to this new field. 

But the job is just the beginning. Thanks to Amazon’s Career Choice benefit, Mark enrolled at IU South Bend to complete his bachelor’s degree in political science. Getting his degree wasn’t something he thought was possible five years ago, let alone having Amazon help with some of the payments. “If you would have told me I’d be signed up to go get my BA right now, I’d have told you you were a liar,” he laughs.

For Mark, who lives in Niles, Michigan, and has worked in Indiana’s Michiana region most of his life, the data center is another example that opportunities exist for people willing to take risks and learn new skills. “Companies like AWS are giving people a chance to show what they can do,” he says, his acceptance letter to IU still fresh on his LinkedIn feed is a symbol of possibilities turned into reality.Â