Ellendale is building
data centers
Ellendale has 450 MW of data centers across 4 sites. That is a lot of work for the trades, and there are not enough workers nearby to do it.
Worth training up for in North Dakota?
YES means the data centers will need more of that trade than North Dakota can spare — so they pay well, pay to train, and run overtime. NO means there are already plenty.
"Short" means the data centers need more of that trade at the busiest point than the area has free to take on new work. Most workers stay on their regular jobs; only about 1 in 4 are free for big new projects like these.
Will North Dakota have enough workers?
At the busiest point of the build. Bars to the left mean a shortage (good if you are in that trade). Bars to the right mean workers to spare.
What this means for workers near Ellendale
Ellendale, ND has about 450 MW of AI data centers across 4 sites, with 250 MW still to build. The builders here include Applied Digital, CoreWeave.
At the busiest point, about 481 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 Ellendale, the data centers look most short on ironworkers. Here is the read by trade.
Ironworkers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 68 ironworkers, but only about 68 of North Dakota's ironworkers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves North Dakota short about 0. 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.
Network/low-voltage technicians — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 30 network/low-voltage technicians, and North Dakota already has about 118 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
Electricians — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 135 electricians, and North Dakota already has about 788 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
Sheet metal workers — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 15 sheet metal workers, and North Dakota already has about 95 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
Pipefitters — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 53 pipefitters, and North Dakota already has about 412 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
Carpenters — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 82 carpenters, and North Dakota already has about 708 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
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 North Dakota. The North Dakota trade pages show you how to start. Sources: a national survey of data-center building plans, plus U.S. jobs and pay data.
Every trade, by the numbers
| Trade | Needed at peak | Free to take it on | Short or extra | New data-center jobs | Train up? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 135 | 788 | 653 spare | 17 | NO |
| Carpenters | 82 | 708 | 626 spare | — | NO |
| Ironworkers | 68 | 68 | 0 spare | — | YES |
| Pipefitters | 53 | 412 | 359 spare | — | NO |
| Data center technicians | — | 42 | short 24 | 66 | YES |
| Welders | 38 | 680 | 642 spare | — | NO |
| HVAC/R technicians | 30 | 275 | 245 spare | 8 | NO |
| Network/low-voltage technicians | 30 | 118 | 88 spare | 4 | NO |
| Plumbers | 22 | 412 | 390 spare | — | NO |
| Sheet metal workers | 15 | 95 | 80 spare | — | NO |
| Elevator mechanics | 8 | — | — | — | — |
"Needed at peak" is the most of that trade working across all the building at the busiest time. "Free to take it on" is how many local workers could move to data-center jobs — about 1 in 4 of the trade; the rest keep their regular jobs. "Short or extra" is the gap. "New data-center jobs" are permanent jobs that stay once a data center opens. "Train up?" is YES when the work needs more than the area can spare (so they pay well and pay to train), NO when there are plenty already. Elevator mechanics are left out of the verdict because their work depends on the building's design.
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