Woodford is building
data centers
Woodford has 770 MW of data centers across 1 sites. That is a lot of work for the trades, and there are not enough workers nearby to do it.
Worth training up for in Virginia?
YES means the data centers will need more of that trade than Virginia can spare — so they pay well, pay to train, and run overtime. NO means there are already plenty.
"Short" means the data centers need more of that trade at the busiest point than the area has free to take on new work. Most workers stay on their regular jobs; only about 1 in 4 are free for big new projects like these.
Will Virginia have enough workers?
At the busiest point of the build. Bars to the left mean a shortage (good if you are in that trade). Bars to the right mean workers to spare.
What this means for workers near Woodford
Woodford, VA has about 770 MW of AI data centers across 1 site, with 770 MW still to build. The builders here include Amazon (AWS).
At the busiest point, about 1,478 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 Woodford, the data centers look most short on ironworkers. Here is the read by trade.
Ironworkers — worth training up: YES, tight. The data centers need about 208 ironworkers at the busiest point — close to all of the ~298 ironworkers Virginia has free for this kind of work. Expect overtime, steady work, and builders willing to train.
Network/low-voltage technicians — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 92 network/low-voltage technicians, and Virginia already has about 788 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 416 electricians, and Virginia already has about 6,075 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 254 carpenters, and Virginia already has about 4,585 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
Pipefitters — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 162 pipefitters, and Virginia already has about 3,298 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 46 sheet metal workers, and Virginia already has about 968 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.
Every trade, by the numbers
| Trade | Needed at peak | Free to take it on | Short or extra | New data-center jobs | Train up? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 416 | 6,075 | 5,659 spare | 29 | NO |
| Carpenters | 254 | 4,585 | 4,331 spare | — | NO |
| Ironworkers | 208 | 298 | 90 spare | — | YES |
| Pipefitters | 162 | 3,298 | 3,136 spare | — | NO |
| Welders | 116 | 2,672 | 2,556 spare | — | NO |
| HVAC/R technicians | 92 | 3,410 | 3,318 spare | 13 | NO |
| Network/low-voltage technicians | 92 | 788 | 696 spare | 6 | NO |
| Plumbers | 69 | 3,298 | 3,229 spare | — | NO |
| Data center technicians | — | 445 | 332 spare | 113 | NO |
| Sheet metal workers | 46 | 968 | 922 spare | — | NO |
| Elevator mechanics | 23 | 148 | — | — | — |
"Needed at peak" is the most of that trade working across all the building at the busiest time. "Free to take it on" is how many local workers could move to data-center jobs — about 1 in 4 of the trade; the rest keep their regular jobs. "Short or extra" is the gap. "New data-center jobs" are permanent jobs that stay once a data center opens. "Train up?" is YES when the work needs more than the area can spare (so they pay well and pay to train), NO when there are plenty already. Elevator mechanics are left out of the verdict because their work depends on the building's design.
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