The AI boom is proving to be a windfall for construction workers building the massive data centers that power it all. According to The WSJ, workers moving into data-center construction are seeing pay jumps of 25% to 30% compared to their previous jobs — and in some cases, much more.
Among them is DeMond Chambliss, who traded his small drywall business in Columbus, Ohio, for a supervisor role overseeing 200 workers at a data center site. He now makes over $100,000 annually. “I pinch myself going to work every day,” the 51-year-old tells the Journal. In Oregon, electrical safety specialist Marc Benner pulls in $225,000 a year, while electrician Andrew Mason makes over $200,000 managing workers at six Northern Virginia data centers.
The Journal reports this isn’t just about higher base pay. Companies are sweetening the pot with perks like heated break tents, free lunches, daily incentive bonuses, and even remote project management positions. One construction site offers workers $100 in daily incentive pay, which can add up.
The surge comes as tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft race to build hundreds of new data centers, colliding with an industry-wide shortage of roughly 439,000 skilled workers, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors trade group.
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