President Joe Biden made his way to Racine, Wisconsin, today, rolling out a massive $3.3 billion investment by Microsoft in a site once doomed by a failed Foxconn deal. The tech giant plans to erect an artificial intelligence data center on the defunct grounds, promising to create a slew of job opportunities and skilling programs. This move marks a significant pivot from the previous administration's failed promise of a $10 billion Foxconn investment that resulted in lost jobs and a bulldozed community, according to The White House.
The president has positioned this investment as a key part of his Investing in America agenda which aims to spark economic revival from the grassroots level. Job creation is a cornerstone of this plan, and Racine is now to see 2,300 union construction jobs, and eventually, 2,000 permanent jobs. In a town historically sustained by manufacturing, this marks a turning point; here, once workers could hope to fiercely seize whatever opportunities trickled down to them; now, they are promised a direct hand to uplift them into the digital economy. Microsoft is also establishing training programs with local technical colleges to ensure Wisconsinites can confidently step into the future.
Racine was once buoyed by manufacturing, with nearly half of its workforce employed in the industry. A six-year-old fiasco saw the promise of 13,000 new jobs evaporate, as the Taiwanese company Foxconn pulled out of a commitment, leaving a wake of bulldozed homes and dashed hopes. Under Biden's administration, the narrative is being rewritten with Racine adding nearly 4,000 jobs, a third of which are in manufacturing, as per The White House. New business applications in the area have jumped by 68% from pre-pandemic levels, showcasing a resurgence under the current leadership.
Beyond AI and tech influxes, the Biden administration's investments stretch across diverse infrastructural arenas. For example, the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub aims to propel the state as a leader in personalized medicine. Infrastructure projects, including the $1.06 billion initiative to bridge the internet divide in Wisconsin, are part of the plan, creating an environment wherein companies forge lasting community ties.
