“We always have far more people applying to our apprenticeship programs than we actually accept,” Madero explains. How many trainees are accepted will largely depend on how many union members are expected to retire over the next few years, he added.
However, one of the challenges is quickly training people to work on data center projects. Quinones said the work itself is not much different than any other plumbing project, but data centers are built to strict schedules with little room for delays or mistakes.
This is important because apprentices typically learn on-site with experienced plumbers at construction sites. When it comes to data center projects, companies are less willing to take risks because even the smallest mistake can delay a project, Quinones said.
“If something goes wrong, it can be very costly for the contractor,” he explains. He added that apprentices and trainees may have to undergo “more rigorous training” before being assigned to help build data centers.
David Long, chief executive officer of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), said his organization has successfully responded to the increase in retirees by training new electricians. But the scale and technical requirements of data center projects make it a “challenge” to get all workers on board quickly and safely, and he insists NECA is responding well.
Charles White, who oversees regulatory affairs at PHCC, told WIRED there’s plenty of incentive for plumbers, pipelayers and HVAC technicians to work in data centers. This project typically offers higher wages than other types of construction. One reason for this is that schedules are tight and workers are more likely to log overtime.
White added that the high demand for plumbers is motivating workers to change employers, and workers are often attracted to the long hours, and therefore better pay, offered by data center developers.
“I actually hear these stories a lot,” Quinones told WIRED. “Because you’re dealing with Amazon or Google or a big tech company, you’re getting paid right away. So there’s competition across the board.”
“Competition is increasing,” Quinones added. “Part of the problem is there is a shortage of plumbers and HVAC technicians.”
In every industry, companies are constantly competing for limited talent. But on construction sites, some of the pressure is offset by a reserve of traveling tradesmen who are ready to show up “any time we build something in the middle of nowhere,” Madello said.
It’s unclear how long the demand for artisans will last once the artificial intelligence boom eventually begins to die down. Once construction is complete, data centers typically have a small crew on site 24 hours a day, along with a network of outside contractors responsible for repairing multiple facilities.
“People won’t be walking around when the project is complete,” White told WIRED. “But we have everything that’s needed to maintain and operate the system. So a certain number of those people will stay there and join the maintenance crew and the operations crew.”
If construction eventually tapers off, there may not be enough replacement jobs, especially if the U.S. economy goes into recession. But for now, business is booming and it’s anyone’s guess how things will end. “Will the boom last? Will it crash spectacularly?” says Bass. “Once the center of the boom passes, will activity just gradually recede?”
