en.Wedoany.com Reported - Michael Bellaman, President and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), and Boyd Worsham, President and CEO of the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), stated that Meta's $115 million investment to accelerate the recruitment and training of skilled workers is a key initiative to drive the construction industry forward.
In an interview on the ENR Groundbreakers podcast, Bellaman and Worsham praised the program—which covers vocational training in electrical, mechanical, plumbing, welding, and fiber optic installation—as a timely measure to address the labor demands of national artificial intelligence infrastructure development. According to global research and consulting firm McKinsey, driven by hyperscale data center projects from Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta, US AI infrastructure spending is expected to reach $6.7 trillion by 2030.
Bellaman explained that, based on analysis, the labor gap is projected to be 350,000 people this year, a long-standing issue. As tech companies attempt to scale up in the AI race, the impact of the labor shortage is becoming apparent. As a partner in Meta's workforce program, Bellaman noted that discussions began years ago, and Meta, as an industry leader, decided to take action and make this investment.
America's Workforce Academy will launch in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas. Meta will cover some upfront costs—including travel subsidies, housing, and living allowances—which can be barriers for skills learners.
Accepted participants will receive conditional job offers to work on Meta's data center construction projects, such as the company's planned $27 billion data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana. Participants will also receive certificates from NCCER.
Worsham stated that the program not only benefits hyperscale projects but also brings societal advantages, providing life-changing career paths for those who might not otherwise have such opportunities.
Worsham noted that many program participants may have never been involved in construction projects before, and now they will have the chance to participate in the largest construction projects in the country.
When asked how to ensure immigrant workers feel confident in taking advantage of this opportunity amid the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, Bellaman responded that as long as they enter the US legally and are authorized to work legally, there is no issue.
Bellaman said that ABC is lobbying Congress to support bills such as the Bipartisan Economic Progress Essential Worker Act (H.R. 5494) to create a non-agricultural H-2C temporary worker visa program and a more robust legal work visa process, thereby addressing the severe labor shortage.
Bellaman pointed out that the H-2B visa system is completely ineffective for the construction industry, and if this reform had been implemented 10 years ago, today's problems would not be so severe. He emphasized that the US is in a global competition, and the key to the nation's success has always been, and will continue to be, its workforce.
