Mount Pleasant is building
data centers

Mount Pleasant, WI has about 955 MW of AI data centers across 2 sites, with 555 MW still to build. The builders here include Microsoft.

At the busiest point, about 1,067 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 Mount Pleasant, the data centers look most short on network/low-voltage technicians, electricians, carpenters, pipefitters, and hvac/r technicians. Here is the read by trade.

Network/low-voltage technicians — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 67 network/low-voltage technicians, but only about 12 of the Mount Pleasant 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 Mount Pleasant area short about 55. 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 300 electricians, but only about 62 of the Mount Pleasant area's electricians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Mount Pleasant area short about 238. 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.

Carpenters — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 183 carpenters, but only about 60 of the Mount Pleasant area's carpenters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Mount Pleasant area short about 123. 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 117 pipefitters, but only about 60 of the Mount Pleasant area's pipefitters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Mount Pleasant area short about 57. 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.

HVAC/R technicians — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 67 hvac/r technicians, but only about 40 of the Mount Pleasant area's hvac/r technicians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the Mount Pleasant area short about 27. When builders cannot find enough hvac/r technicians, the ones already working put in overtime (bigger paychecks), and builders pay to train new people and bring in workers from other states.

Ironworkers — worth training up: YES, tight. The data centers need about 150 ironworkers at the busiest point — close to all of the ~178 ironworkers the Mount Pleasant area has free for this kind of work. Expect overtime, steady work, and builders willing to train.

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