Cheyenne is building
data centers

Cheyenne, WY has about 2 GW of AI data centers across 11 sites, with 2 GW still to build. The builders here include Microsoft, CoreWeave, Meta, Crusoe.

At the busiest point, about 3,794 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 Cheyenne, the data centers look most short on ironworkers, carpenters, electricians, network/low-voltage technicians, and pipefitters. Here is the read by trade.

Ironworkers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 534 ironworkers, but only about 18 of the Cheyenne area's ironworkers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cheyenne area short about 516. 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 652 carpenters, but only about 60 of the Cheyenne area's carpenters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cheyenne area short about 592. 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.

Electricians — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 1,067 electricians, but only about 102 of the Cheyenne area's electricians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cheyenne area short about 965. 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.

Network/low-voltage technicians — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 237 network/low-voltage technicians, but only about 25 of the Cheyenne 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 Cheyenne area short about 212. 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.

Pipefitters — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 415 pipefitters, but only about 50 of the Cheyenne area's pipefitters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cheyenne area short about 365. 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 296 welders, but only about 42 of the Cheyenne area's welders are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Cheyenne area short about 254. 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 Wyoming. The Wyoming trade pages show you how to start. Sources: a national survey of data-center building plans, plus U.S. jobs and pay data.