New Albany is building
data centers

New Albany, OH has about 3.3 GW of AI data centers across 14 sites, with 2.5 GW still to build. The builders here include Amazon (AWS), Meta, Google, Edged Energy.

At the busiest point, about 4,846 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 New Albany, the data centers look most short on ironworkers, network/low-voltage technicians, carpenters, electricians, and pipefitters. Here is the read by trade.

Ironworkers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 681 ironworkers, but only about 52 of the New Albany area's ironworkers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the New Albany area short about 629. 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 — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 303 network/low-voltage technicians, but only about 195 of the New Albany 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 New Albany area short about 108. 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.

Carpenters — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 833 carpenters, but only about 778 of the New Albany area's carpenters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the New Albany area short about 55. 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 1,363 electricians, but only about 1,348 of the New Albany area's electricians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the New Albany area short about 15. 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.

Pipefitters — worth training up: YES, tight. The data centers need about 530 pipefitters at the busiest point — close to all of the ~685 pipefitters the New Albany area has free for this kind of work. Expect overtime, steady work, and builders willing to train.

Welders — worth training up: YES, tight. The data centers need about 379 welders at the busiest point — close to all of the ~558 welders the New Albany 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 Ohio. The Ohio trade pages show you how to start. Sources: a national survey of data-center building plans, plus U.S. jobs and pay data.