Google has unveiled plans to train more than 100,000 additional electricians in the US, as it aims to plug the skills gap that is plaguing the industry at a time when AI data centres are driving unprecedented demand for electricity.
The tech giant confirmed the news to Reuters, noting that it will provide an initial $10 million grant to electrical worker non-profits, funding new apprenticeship schemes and upskilling courses delivered through the Electrical Training Alliance, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).
Speaking to Reuters, Kenneth Cooper, International President of the IBEW labour union, said, “This initiative with Google and our partners at NECA and the Electrical Training Alliance will bring more than 100,000 sorely needed electricians into the trade to meet the demands of an AI‑driven surge in data centers and power generation.”
It’s hoped that Google’s investment will boost the US’ pipeline of qualified electricians by 70% by the end of the decade – and comes at a pivotal time for the electrical industry in the US. That’s because, despite nearly two two decades of flat growth, US power demand is rising rapidly as hyperscale companies race to deploy energy‑hungry generative AI systems.
The electrician shortage has also garnered the attention of Trump’s White House, which declared a national emergency, pledging to fast-track permits for new generation and transmission projects. However, the Trump team has also been a huge opponent to renewables – which has long been adopted by the data centre industry as a way of generating their own power so they can rely on the grid less.
That has led to some of the hyperscalers to explore the ‘nuclear’ option, with Microsoft striking a deal with Constellation to restart a dominant reactor at Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island site to supply power to its data centres, while Google has inked its own deal with Elementl Power to prepare three potential sites in the US for advanced nuclear projects, each aiming for at least 600 MW of capacity.
No matter the source of electricity, however, it’s clear that to enable the new era of AI, data centres will need a robust grid with an army of skilled electricians and electrical engineers to deliver the power they need, and while Google’s investment is focused on the US, the underlying challenge is international.
Data centre developers worldwide – including those in the UK and Europe – are grappling with grid bottlenecks and a shortage of qualified engineers. If Google’s scheme succeeds in turbo‑charging America’s workforce, it could serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives on this side of the Atlantic.
