“We always have far more people applying to our apprenticeship programs than we actually accept,” explains Madello. He adds that the number of interns accepted depends largely on how many union members retire in the coming years.
The problem, however, is training people quickly enough to work on data center projects. Quinonez says the work itself isn’t much different from other plumbing jobs, but data centers are built on strict schedules, which leaves no room for delays and errors.
This matters because apprentices typically learn on-the-job alongside more experienced plumbers on energetic construction sites. Quinonez says companies are much less willing to take risks when it comes to data center projects because even diminutive mistakes can ponderous down the project.
“If something goes wrong, it can be very expensive for the contractor,” he explains. He adds that apprentices and trainees will have to undergo “more rigorous training” before being assigned to aid build the data center.
David Long, CEO of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), says the group has done a good job of keeping pace with the retirement process by training recent electricians. However, the scale and technical demands of data center projects have made ensuring all employees are onboarded quickly and safely a “challenge” that he believes NECA can adequately address.
Charles White, who oversees regulatory affairs at PHCC, tells WIRED that there are many incentives for plumbers, pipelayers and HVAC technicians to work in data centers. These projects typically offer higher wages than other types of construction, in part because of the tight schedule, which increases the likelihood that workers will log overtime.
White adds that the high demand for plumbers encourages employees to change employers and are often tempted by longer working hours and, as a result, better pay offered by data center developers.
“I actually hear these stories all the time,” Quinonez tells WIRED. “You get paid quickly because you’re dealing with Amazon, Google or a big tech company. So competition is ubiquitous.”
“The competition is getting fierce,” adds Quinonez. “And part of the problem is that there just aren’t enough plumbers and HVAC technicians.”
In any industry, companies are always competing for a confined pool of labor. But in construction, Madello says, some of the pressure is offset by a reserve of traveling tradespeople who are willing to show up “anytime you’re building something in the middle of nowhere.”
It’s unclear how long demand for traders will last as the AI boom finally begins to wane. Once construction is complete, data centers typically employ a diminutive crew on-site 24 hours a day, along with a network of outside contractors to handle repairs to multiple facilities.
“When the project is finished, it won’t be crowded anymore,” White tells WIRED. “But you have all this stuff that needs to be maintained and the systems need to be operated. So a certain number of these people will stick around and get on the maintenance or operations crew.”
If construction eventually stalls, there may not be enough alternative jobs, especially if the U.S. economy enters a recession. But for now, business is doing great and no one knows how it will end. “Is this a lasting boom? Will there be a spectacular crash?” says Basu. “Does activity just gradually decline after the boom ends?”