Google data center lead says ‘hundreds of thousands’ of skilled trade jobs are open across the U.S.—and they’re ‘just waiting to be filled’

Construction workers build out the rooftop chillers and water lines feeding them atop Dallas TX4, which is under construction at the NTT Data center campus in Garland, Texas (Credit: Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)

Data centers have become a flashpoint in the debate over AI, with critics raising concerns about their impact on local communities, including water use, electricity demand, and noise pollution. But data centers are also creating massive demand for workers—especially people interested in the skilled trades.

“Currently there are hundreds of thousands of skilled trade roles open across the U.S. just waiting to be filled,” Tim Chadwick, Google Data Center Operations Area lead for Ohio and Indiana, wrote in a blog post. “These are jobs like master electrician, lead pipefitter, and project manager—high-growth careers that offer long-term financial stability.”