AI data center boom makes electricians among best paid trades
Big tech's race to build AI data centers is making construction one of the best-paid trades in the US
Companies like Google and Meta are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into training the electricians and skilled workers needed to build their data centers, which means skilled workers, especially electricians, are suddenly in huge demand.
OpenAI's Detroit project alone is Michigan's largest private investment ever and needs hundreds of electricians working long hours.
Data center jobs are now paying more than comparable roles and attracting workers from other construction projects.
Tech giants fund data center training
To keep up, tech giants are investing big in workforce training.
Google has put $50 million toward expanding electrician apprenticeships, aiming to increase the union's annual apprenticeship intake from 19,500 to 30,000 over the next three years.
BlackRock is also backing a $100 million program for data center job training in Texas.
The payoff? Data center installation and maintenance jobs now pay 42% more than similar roles elsewhere, and companies are offering bonuses just to attract enough workers.