Gainesville is building
data centers

Gainesville, VA has about 1.2 GW of AI data centers across 4 sites, with 1 GW still to build. The builders here include Corscale Data Centers, NTT, QTS, LSI 360.

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 Gainesville, 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 270 ironworkers, but only about 200 of the Gainesville area's ironworkers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Gainesville area short about 70. 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.

Welders — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 150 welders, and the Gainesville area already has about 640 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.

Network/low-voltage technicians — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 120 network/low-voltage technicians, and the Gainesville area already has about 622 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 540 electricians, and the Gainesville area already has about 4,130 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 60 sheet metal workers, and the Gainesville area already has about 465 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 330 carpenters, and the Gainesville area already has about 3,062 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 Virginia. The Virginia trade pages show you how to start. Sources: a national survey of data-center building plans, plus U.S. jobs and pay data.