New Carlisle is building
data centers

New Carlisle, IN has about 2.2 GW of AI data centers across 2 sites, with 1.7 GW still to build. The builders here include Amazon (AWS).

At the busiest point, about 3,313 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 Carlisle, the data centers look most short on ironworkers, electricians, network/low-voltage technicians, sheet metal workers, and carpenters. Here is the read by trade.

Ironworkers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 466 ironworkers, but only about 12 of the New Carlisle 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 Carlisle area short about 454. 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.

Electricians — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 932 electricians, but only about 152 of the New Carlisle 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 Carlisle area short about 780. 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 207 network/low-voltage technicians, but only about 40 of the New Carlisle 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 Carlisle area short about 167. 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.

Sheet metal workers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 104 sheet metal workers, but only about 25 of the New Carlisle area's sheet metal workers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the New Carlisle area short about 79. When builders cannot find enough sheet metal workers, 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 569 carpenters, but only about 142 of the New Carlisle 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 Carlisle area short about 427. 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 362 pipefitters, but only about 132 of the New Carlisle area's pipefitters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves the New Carlisle area short about 230. 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.

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