Data center construction, driven by AI, has increased its market share in construction industry at a rate we’ve never seen before. Last year, the approximate spend was $375 billion. That’s with a “B.” The electrical component represents 45-70% of cost on these projects.
As tech companies rush to build data centers, they are drawing from the same group of professionals we rely on in commercial construction. Often, the tech companies have deep pockets and are willing to pay a higher rate than we can reasonably pass on to our customer. We are feeling the squeeze of availability on our projects. We’re wrapping up a project for a longtime customer where electrical sub just did not had enough leadership for the job or journey workers, which impacted our schedule in the final stretch. To solve, we supplemented our electrical subcontractor and were able to work through this challenge. We are now seeking new talent to assist us with future projects we have in the que.
In the meantime, thinking ahead seems like the smartest solution. Maybe encourage young folks you know to consider a career in the electrical field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a shortage of 81,000 electricians every year through 2030, so jobs will be plentiful in this category.
