Who builds Tennessee's
data centers?
Tennessee is building 77 MW of new data centers across 10 sites. Here is the work that means for the trades — and why there are not enough workers for it.
Worth training up for in Tennessee?
YES means the data centers will need more of that trade than Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 if you work a trade in Tennessee
Tennessee is building 1.7 GW of new AI data centers across 10 sites. 1.6 GW is already running, and 77 MW is still being built. The biggest builders here are xAI, Meta, Google, DC BLOX.
At the busiest point, about 148 skilled workers will be on these sites at once, across all the trades. But the work is not split evenly — some trades will be short, and some will not. That is what decides whether it is worth training up.
Should you train up for this? In Tennessee the data centers are steady work, but the area has enough workers for most trades already. Here is the read, trade by trade.
Ironworkers — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 21 ironworkers, and Tennessee already has about 330 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 42 electricians, and Tennessee already has about 4,875 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 16 pipefitters, and Tennessee already has about 2,202 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 5 sheet metal workers, and Tennessee already has about 510 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 25 carpenters, and Tennessee already has about 2,170 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
Network/low-voltage technicians — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 9 network/low-voltage technicians, and Tennessee already has about 672 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
HVAC/R technicians — probably not, just for this. The data centers need about 9 hvac/r technicians, and Tennessee already has about 2,628 free for this kind of work. Plenty. Still steady work, but no special data-center shortage.
Data center technicians — worth training up: YES. Once these data centers open they will need about 247 data center technicians to run them, day and night. These are permanent jobs, and there are not enough local data center technicians to fill them — so they hire and train. Steady, long-term work.
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.
The building jobs run for a few years; the jobs that run the data centers last longer. Either way, a shortage is good news if you are in that trade. To start in Tennessee, look at the apprenticeship programs for the trade you want. 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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data center technicians | — | 338 | 91 spare | 247 | YES |
| Electricians | 42 | 4,875 | 4,833 spare | 63 | NO |
| HVAC/R technicians | 9 | 2,628 | 2,619 spare | 28 | NO |
| Carpenters | 25 | 2,170 | 2,145 spare | — | NO |
| Ironworkers | 21 | 330 | 309 spare | — | NO |
| Network/low-voltage technicians | 9 | 672 | 663 spare | 14 | NO |
| Pipefitters | 16 | 2,202 | 2,186 spare | — | NO |
| Welders | 12 | 3,152 | 3,140 spare | — | NO |
| Plumbers | 7 | 2,202 | 2,195 spare | — | NO |
| Sheet metal workers | 5 | 510 | 505 spare | — | NO |
| Elevator mechanics | 2 | 168 | — | — | — |
"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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