Largest Capital Investment in Indiana’s History, $11 Billion will be Made by AWS

Investments from AWS are predicted to support new training initiatives for workforce development, local community projects in the state, and the creation of at least 1,000 jobs.

With the announcement today, Amazon Web Services (AWS) intends to invest approximately $11 billion in Indiana, which will be the largest capital investment in the state’s history and generate at least 1,000 new jobs. Amazon plans to construct new data centers in St. Joseph County with the backing of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and Governor Eric Holcomb. In addition, AWS will provide up to $7 million to help the state and the neighborhood around the company’s proposed development with road infrastructure upgrades.

Part of Amazon’s long-term commitment to Indiana is this planned investment. We have contributed $19.8 billion to Indiana’s GDP since 2010 and invested $21.5 billion in the Hoosier State, supporting communities, workers, and customers. 26,000 full- and part-time jobs have been created in the state by Amazon’s investments. As part of its commitment to Indiana, Amazon has also approved the construction of four solar farms and one wind farm, totaling more than 600 megawatts of renewable energy—enough to power 146,000 homes.

“AWS’s unwavering commitment to supporting our customers and helping drive digital transformation has been evident through our infrastructure investments across the United States,” said Roger Wehner, AWS director of economic development. “Building upon this, we are thrilled to be expanding our operations in Indiana through this planned $11 billion investment, which will create numerous well-paying job opportunities and tap into the state’s burgeoning tech sector, while contributing significantly to the state’s growing economy. This investment will include our continuing commitment to fostering workforce development and educational initiatives in areas where we operate, and we look forward to helping nurture the next generation of talent in the Hoosier State. We are excited to partner with Governor Holcomb, IEDC, and other state and local leaders to forge a path toward a brighter future for Indiana’s tech landscape.”

Empowering local communities

The communities in which our data centers are located are very important to AWS. Building on our history of supporting St. Joseph County and its surrounding communities, AWS is introducing the AWS InCommunities St. Joseph County Community Fund, a grant program designed to support projects centered around six major themes: inclusion, diversity, and equity; sustainability and environment; economic development; future workforce development; science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education; and homelessness, hunger, health, and well-being.

AWS is contributing $100,000 to this fund, which ChangeX, a nonprofit, will oversee and manage. Individuals, as well as local community organizations, schools, nonprofits, and other organizations from St. Joseph County and the surrounding area, are welcome to apply for the program. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to applicants for new or ongoing community projects that fit into at least one of the fund’s six themes. The Community Fund is the first step in our long-term community investment plan, whereby we will work with local partners to implement high-impact programs targeted at promoting the county’s sustained growth and prosperity.

Supporting STEAM awareness

AWS will also establish a fund to assist a selected collection of STEAM education and awareness initiatives for K–12 educational systems. This fund will help put initiatives like We Build it Better into action. This program offers resources and experiences from the industry that engage middle school and older students in a STEAM environment that is akin to a workplace and is furnished with tools of the highest caliber. The goal of this program is to prepare students for future careers in these dynamic and quickly changing sectors by encouraging interest in and skill development in STEAM fields from an early age.

Investing in education and skills training

By providing a variety of educational opportunities and skill-training programs, AWS is also dedicated to empowering local communities. We want to create opportunities that lead to fulfilling careers and increase awareness of the region’s growing need for a strong workforce in technology by working with local educational and workforce development institutions.

The Fiber Optic Fusion Splicing Workshop, which instructs people in new fusion splicing methods and tools, is one of the regional training courses that will be provided nearby. After finishing the free two-day workshop, participants receive a certificate in fusion splicing and are put in touch with hiring companies that are looking for skilled workers in the fiber broadband industry.

Another upcoming program, the Information Infrastructure Workshop, aims to provide educators, workforce leaders, and students with a deeper understanding of the information economy, the physical layer of cloud computing, and the myriad of career options that exist. The program establishes career pathways in data center construction, connectivity, operation, and power through a series of workshops with employers.

“Indiana’s long-term economic strategy is paying dividends for Hoosiers as we cultivate the growth of critical sectors like technology infrastructure,” said Governor Holcomb. “Amazon has long been an important economic partner in Indiana, and we are excited to welcome AWS. This significant investment solidifies Indiana’s leadership position in the economy of the future, and will undoubtedly have a positive ripple effect on the town of New Carlisle, the north-central region, and the state of Indiana for years to come.”

“The AWS announcement today will be a generational boost to our local and regional economy, and we are excited for the opportunity to welcome the AWS team and workforce into our community,” said Carl Baxmeyer, president of, the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. “This new data center campus to be built in the Indiana Enterprise Center (IEC) over the next decade will be a major employment center for all of northern Indiana. This project announcement also shows our alignment with the state’s goal to create next-level jobs that benefit all Hoosiers.”