Laniya Brooks is training to become an advanced technician through a partnership between Meta and Mike Rowe's America's Workforce Academy [1].

This transition highlights a shift toward skills-based hiring and workforce development within the tech industry, emphasizing the potential for internal mobility from service roles to technical positions.

Brooks previously worked as a custodian at a data center in Indianapolis, Indiana [2]. Through the America's Workforce Academy (AWA), she is now receiving the specialized training necessary to move into a high-skilled technical role [1]. The program focuses on providing career training and opportunities for individuals to enter the technology sector [3].

Meta's involvement in the program is part of a broader strategy regarding the "dignity of work" [3]. By investing in the development of existing employees and local workers, the company aims to create a pipeline of qualified technicians who possess a proven track record of reliability.

One technician said Brooks has a "strong work ethic" [1]. This trait is often cited as a primary reason why companies are looking toward non-traditional candidates for technical roles, valuing soft skills and dependability as much as technical aptitude.

The training takes place on-site at the Indianapolis facility, allowing Brooks to apply her learning in the same environment where she previously worked in a support capacity [2]. This model of apprenticeship and targeted education is designed to bridge the gap between entry-level service work and advanced technical careers [1].

“Laniya Brooks is transitioning from custodial work to advanced technician training.”

This initiative reflects a growing trend among Big Tech companies to address labor shortages in specialized infrastructure roles by upskilling their own workforce. By partnering with vocational advocates like Mike Rowe, Meta is pivoting away from traditional degree-based requirements toward a competency-based model that prioritizes work ethic and on-the-job training.