Abilene is building
data centers

Abilene, TX has about 1.2 GW of AI data centers across 2 sites, with 1 GW still to build. The builders here include Stargate / multi-operator.

At the busiest point, about 1,920 skilled workers will be on these sites at once, across all the trades. Many drive in from nearby towns, but the work starts here — and it is not split evenly, so some trades are short and some are not.

Worth training up for? Around Abilene, the data centers look most short on carpenters, network/low-voltage technicians, electricians, sheet metal workers, and pipefitters. Here is the read by trade.

Carpenters — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 330 carpenters, but only about 32 of the Abilene area's carpenters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Abilene area short about 298. When builders cannot find enough carpenters, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

Network/low-voltage technicians — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 120 network/low-voltage technicians, but only about 25 of the Abilene area's network/low-voltage technicians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Abilene area short about 95. When builders cannot find enough network/low-voltage technicians, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

Electricians — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 540 electricians, but only about 115 of the Abilene area's electricians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Abilene area short about 425. When builders cannot find enough electricians, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

Sheet metal workers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 60 sheet metal workers, but only about 15 of the Abilene area's sheet metal workers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Abilene area short about 45. When builders cannot find enough sheet metal workers, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

Pipefitters — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 210 pipefitters, but only about 90 of the Abilene area's pipefitters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Abilene area short about 120. When builders cannot find enough pipefitters, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

Welders — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 150 welders, but only about 72 of the Abilene area's welders are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Abilene area short about 78. When builders cannot find enough welders, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

These are some of the best-paying jobs you can get without a four-year degree. When a trade is short, builders run overtime and pay to train, and experienced workers can clear $100,000 a year, with health care and a pension through the union. It is the same across the country: builders cannot find enough skilled workers. The U.S. needs about 140,000 more trade workers by 2030 to build all the data centers, and most builders say hiring is their hardest problem. Microsoft's president has called the shortage of electricians the biggest thing slowing data centers down.

You sign up and get your license through Texas. The Texas trade pages show you how to start. Sources: a national survey of data-center building plans, plus U.S. jobs and pay data.