The 300,000-Person Skills Gap: Building and Training the AI Data Center Workforce
Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026
Time: 9 AM PST
Duration: 1 hour
The data center industry is facing a looming worker shortage that’s as big a threat to industry development and operations as access to power, land, and capital. The US faces a 300,000+ skilled-trades shortage that puts development and ongoing operations at risk. Every new technology change, such as widespread liquid cooling use or higher voltage power systems, requires skilled workers to update and retrofit facilities and new skills and training to operate them. This session will examine the data center industry’s key skills gaps, the mix of workforce strategies that can address them, and where private, public, and collaborative partnerships can fill the talent pipeline before a shortage stalls the data center industry.
Key Takeaways
- Severe Worker Shortage: The data center industry faces a critical shortage of 300,000+ skilled workers.
- Tech-Driven Skills Demand: New technologies require updated skills and retrofitting expertise.
- Collaborative Solutions Needed: Partnerships are vital to address the skills gap and sustain industry growth.
Speakers:
Julie Loucks
Head of Vertical Strategy - IT, Tech and Communications
ManpowerGroup North America
Josh Labrie
Director of NOVA SySTEMic
Northern Virginia Community College
Matthew O'Hare
Managing Director
Power Construction
Chris Murphy
Data Center World Content Director
Informa
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