AI infrastructure boom creates urgent demand for electricians, welders as skilled trades shortage deepens
While fears of AI eliminating jobs dominate headlines, a different crisis emerges: America lacks the electricians, welders, and plumbers needed to build AI infrastructure. The five largest U.S. cloud providers committed $660 billion in 2026 for data centers, requiring 1.2 million person-years of skilled labor. Meta's new $115 million America's Workforce Academy aims to train workers with job guarantees, but experts warn the shortage poses a strategic vulnerability in the AI race against China.