Dalton is building
data centers

Dalton, GA has about 145 MW of AI data centers across 1 site, with 145 MW still to build. The builders here include Core Scientific.

At the busiest point, about 277 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 Dalton, the data centers look most short on carpenters, pipefitters, electricians, network/low-voltage technicians, and plumbers. Here is the read by trade.

Carpenters — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 48 carpenters, but only about 12 of the Dalton area's carpenters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Dalton area short about 36. 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.

Pipefitters — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 30 pipefitters, but only about 12 of the Dalton area's pipefitters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Dalton area short about 18. 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.

Electricians — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 78 electricians, but only about 48 of the Dalton area's electricians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Dalton area short about 30. 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 17 network/low-voltage technicians, but only about 12 of the Dalton 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 Dalton area short about 5. 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.

Plumbers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 13 plumbers, but only about 12 of the Dalton area's plumbers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Dalton area short about 1. When builders cannot find enough plumbers, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

HVAC/R technicians — could go either way. The data centers need about 17 hvac/r technicians, and the Dalton area has about 35 free for this kind of work. Enough to mostly cover it, but it will be busy, with some overtime.

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 Georgia. The Georgia trade pages show you how to start. Sources: a national survey of data-center building plans, plus U.S. jobs and pay data.