Lincoln Tech is betting big on Suitland, Maryland, rolling out plans for a focused trades campus that turns a former Strayer University building into a roughly 36,000-square-foot training hub for electricians and HVAC technicians. Company materials put the project at about a $10 million capital outlay and describe it as a fast-moving way to enter a market where finding room for a full-size campus can be tricky. The school is aiming to feed technicians directly into the D.C. region's busy data center construction and operations pipeline.
Campus plan and timeline
In a press release via Lincoln Educational Services, the company said the Suitland location will be its 25th campus and will occupy about 36,000 square feet, roughly half the footprint of a traditional Lincoln site. The release notes that the focused-program campus will initially offer Electrical and Electronic Systems Technology (EEST) and HVAC programs, carries an estimated $10 million buildout cost and is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2027, subject to construction completion and regulatory approvals.
Site and purpose
As reported by the Washington Business Journal, Lincoln plans to renovate the former Strayer University building in Suitland to house the new campus. That local reporting notes the school will train electricians and HVAC technicians with an eye toward supporting the region's growing data center industry.
Why data centers matter here
Industry research shows the D.C. metro and nearby Northern Virginia continue to lead U.S. data center growth, which keeps ratcheting up demand for skilled trades. According to CBRE, Northern Virginia delivered more than 1 gigawatt of new capacity in 2025 and remains the nation's largest data center market, trends that are driving need for electricians, HVAC mechanics and the commissioning and maintenance staff who keep those facilities running.
Scott Shaw, Lincoln's chief executive, told investors the focused-program model "allows us to leverage the Lincoln Tech name and expand our presence in another high-growth market," and the company said the Suitland campus is expected to serve roughly 500 students when fully ramped. Lincoln has described the strategy as a capital-efficient, scalable approach that can be replicated in other constrained real estate markets.
Construction and permitting are the immediate hurdles. If Lincoln stays on schedule and secures the necessary approvals, classes could begin in late 2027. For local students and contractors, the Suitland campus is pitched as a steady pipeline of job-ready technicians aimed at one of the region's busiest infrastructure sectors.
