Cedar Rapids is building
data centers

Cedar Rapids, IA has about 2.3 GW of AI data centers across 3 sites, with 2.3 GW still to build. The builders here include QTS, Google.

At the busiest point, about 4,352 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 Cedar Rapids, the data centers look most short on ironworkers, carpenters, network/low-voltage technicians, electricians, and sheet metal workers. Here is the read by trade.

Ironworkers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 612 ironworkers, but only about 15 of the Cedar Rapids area's ironworkers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cedar Rapids area short about 597. When builders cannot find enough ironworkers, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

Carpenters — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 748 carpenters, but only about 128 of the Cedar Rapids area's carpenters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cedar Rapids area short about 620. 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 272 network/low-voltage technicians, but only about 65 of the Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids area short about 207. 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 1,224 electricians, but only about 398 of the Cedar Rapids area's electricians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cedar Rapids area short about 826. 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 136 sheet metal workers, but only about 48 of the Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids area short about 88. 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.

Welders — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 340 welders, but only about 122 of the Cedar Rapids area's welders are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cedar Rapids area short about 218. 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 Iowa. The Iowa trade pages show you how to start. Sources: a national survey of data-center building plans, plus U.S. jobs and pay data.