This told essay is based on a conversation with Cody Cole, 25, an electrical supervisor at Corbins, an Arizona-based industrial electrical contractor. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I started working in the electrical field in 2019 at the age of 18, right after graduating from high school. At first, I didn’t find electrical work very rewarding. However, my brother, father, uncle, and grandpa all used their hands in their work, and I am similar to them, so I decided to give it a try.
As I became more immersed and all the positive career opportunities presented themselves, I found myself loving my role.
Now, 7 years later, I am making over $40 an hour supervising 45 people. As my wife and I raise our three children and give them the best education possible, it has helped to reduce the financial stress of everyday life.
I didn’t want to pay for traditional education.
I was never great at school. It wasn’t something I was looking forward to. My parents taught me to pay for myself and earn my own money. While this is a great blessing to me, paying for a traditional college education was not something I wanted to do.
With a career in industrial electrical work, I was confident that I would be able to earn a good income right out of high school.
The AI boom has also changed the way I view a career in the electrical industry. I have seen firsthand that the need for skilled tradespeople continues. My company, Corbins, specializes in the data centers needed as AI expands.
After entering the industry without any formal training, one of the turning points in my career came a year and a half later. At that time, I had the opportunity to participate in an electrical apprenticeship program through the Western Electrical Contractors Association (WECA).
Corbins sponsored my tuition and paid my salary, while I took classes in two-week blocks every three to six months for four years. The program consisted of a minimum of 156 hours of classroom instruction and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training per year.
In addition to his job, Cody Cole participated in an electrical apprenticeship program. Provided by Nox Group
I couldn’t justify not going to school. It was such an amazing opportunity. I ended up graduating in 2024 as a salutatorian.
My salary increased from $15 an hour to over $40 an hour.
I started making $15 an hour, which was great for someone with no experience. But he quickly rose through the ranks, from field labor to foreman to foreman. Currently, my hourly rate is in the low $40s.
If I had joined the apprenticeship earlier, I might have been able to start creating more pieces sooner.
If I had chosen a different path, I don’t think I would have been in a financial position to support my family. Fortunately, my income has allowed my wife to achieve her goal of becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom.
There are many opportunities for young people. One of the foremen I work with is only 21 years old, but he is amazing at his job. The other superintendent I work with is also great, but he’s only 23 or 24 years old.
Data center boom means endless job opportunities
There is a lot of job security in our activities. Now that AI is expanding at an extraordinary pace, there are many jobs like this available all over the country. The opportunities are endless. Not just manual labor on construction sites, but also accounting, finance, planning, and other jobs needed to build a data center.
For the past two years, I’ve been working full-time on data center projects. I have been fortunate enough to travel to New Mexico and Texas several times. Data centers are being built everywhere, so the jobs are there.
We understand that there is controversy regarding data centers. I’m no expert, but I believe that the pieces I work on are quiet and unobtrusive. They are also very necessary for technology advancements as AI advances, providing new job opportunities like the one I had.
I’ve only been in this job for 7 years, but I enjoy mentoring others.
Even though I’m a director now, I still feel like I’m new to the industry and there’s still so much I want to learn. However, I enjoy mentoring others and being able to see the big picture of the projects we are working on.
Seven years later, Cole is now a superintendent with 45 subordinates. Provided by Nox Group
When I was learning, people told me the “why” behind what I was doing. Especially since the AI industry and data centers are fairly new, we can now share that with the people we work with.
In my role, we plan the whole building, but at the top, we’re looking at the bigger picture, the impact and what’s going to happen next. Understanding the big picture of a project is an aspect of my career that I really enjoy and look forward to continuing.
I don’t want to do something just because I’m told to do it, I want to know why I’m doing it. This makes my work more meaningful, makes me want to work harder, give it my all, and train others to learn from me.
For the employees I manage and those entering the industry for the first time, data center construction provides an opportunity to enter, learn, and quickly advance your career in a fast-growing industry.
Do you have a story to share about pursuing a blue-collar career instead of a corporate one? Contact this editor, Jane Zhang. janezhang@businessinsider.com.