As construction ramps up, demand for skilled trades and technical workers is rising sharply. A global analysis from Randstad found that job postings for robotic technicians increased by 107% between 2022 and 2026, while demand for HVAC engineers rose 67% and industrial automation technicians 51%. Even traditional roles such as electricians and construction workers saw a 27% increase in listings.
Industry leaders say the labor gap is becoming a limiting factor. “The digital revolution requires a massive physical foundation,” said Sander van’t Noordende, CEO of Randstad. He added that growth in the sector is increasingly constrained by a shortage of specialized workers rather than capital or hardware.
The need for ongoing upgrades is also adding pressure. Existing facilities must regularly update systems such as cooling, electrical and plumbing infrastructure to support high-performance AI workloads. These requirements are creating what some describe as “new-collar” roles, where skilled trades and highly educated engineers work side by side in data center environments.
Wages are rising as companies compete for talent. Randstad estimates pay for HVAC engineers has climbed 10% to 15% over the past four years, with some roles reaching six-figure salaries. Workers transitioning into advanced data center positions can see pay increases of 25% to 30%, according to staffing firm Kelly Services.
The labor shortage is expected to intensify. The U.S. could face a shortfall of 1.9 million manufacturing workers by 2033, while construction demand is projected to require hundreds of thousands of additional workers in the coming years. “The debate around AI’s impact on the labor market often focuses entirely on the software side… AI cannot build its own data centers,” Noordende said.
Efforts to address the gap are beginning to take shape. Companies and governments are investing in training programs, apprenticeships and partnerships with educational institutions to build a pipeline of workers. At the same time, firms are increasingly recruiting talent from adjacent industries such as energy and defense.
Despite the hiring push, structural challenges remain. Many roles require on-site work, limiting geographic flexibility, and an aging workforce is approaching retirement. Some analysts also point to emerging risks tied to data center locations, including geopolitical tensions that could affect worker safety and compensation expectations.
The buildout of AI infrastructure is creating new economic opportunities, but the pace of expansion may ultimately depend less on funding and more on the availability of workers capable of constructing and maintaining the systems behind the technology.
This analysis is based on reporting from CNBC.
Image courtesy of RackSolutions.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
