Santa Teresa is building
data centers

Santa Teresa, NM has about 2.5 GW of AI data centers across 1 site, with 2.5 GW still to build. The builders here include Stargate / Oracle / OpenAI / Stack.

At the busiest point, about 4,704 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 Santa Teresa, the data centers look most short on ironworkers, network/low-voltage technicians, electricians, carpenters, and sheet metal workers. Here is the read by trade.

Ironworkers — worth training up: YES, big shortage. At the busiest point the data centers need about 662 ironworkers, but only about 25 of New Mexico's ironworkers are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves New Mexico short about 637. 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 294 network/low-voltage technicians, but only about 275 of New Mexico'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 New Mexico short about 19. 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 1,323 electricians, but only about 1,272 of New Mexico's electricians are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves New Mexico short about 51. 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 808 carpenters, but only about 805 of New Mexico's carpenters are free to take it on — the rest are busy with their regular jobs, which do not stop. That leaves New Mexico short about 3. 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.

Sheet metal workers — worth training up: YES, tight. The data centers need about 147 sheet metal workers at the busiest point — close to all of the ~162 sheet metal workers New Mexico has free for this kind of work. Expect overtime, steady work, and builders willing to train.

Pipefitters — worth training up: YES, tight. The data centers need about 514 pipefitters at the busiest point — close to all of the ~725 pipefitters New Mexico 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 New Mexico. The New Mexico trade pages show you how to start. Sources: a national survey of data-center building plans, plus U.S. jobs and pay data.