\u201cWe always have far more people applying than we actually accept into our apprenticeship programs,\u201d Madello explains. How many trainees are admitted, he adds, depends largely on how many union members are expected to retire in the coming years.<\/p>\n
One problem, however, is getting people trained quickly enough to work on data center projects. Quinonez says the work itself is not very different from other plumbing jobs, but data centers are built on strict schedules, leaving little room for delays or errors.<\/p>\n
That matters because apprentices typically learn on the job alongside more experienced plumbers at active construction sites. On data center projects, Quinonez says, companies are far less willing to take risks, since even small mistakes can slow a project down.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could get very costly for a contractor for something to go wrong,\u201d he explains. Apprentices and trainees, he adds, may have to go through \u201cmore rigorous training\u201d before they are assigned to help build a data center.<\/p>\n
David Long, CEO of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), says the group has done a good job keeping pace with retirements by training new electricians. But the scale and technical requirements of data center projects has made it a \u201cchallenge\u201d\u2014which he argues that NECA is appropriately meeting\u2014to ensure that all workers are onboarded quickly and safely.<\/p>\n
Charles White, who oversees regulatory affairs at PHCC, tells WIRED that there\u2019s plenty of incentives for plumbers, pipe layers, and HVAC technicians to work on data centers. The projects typically offer higher pay than other types of construction, partially because of their tight schedules, which make it more likely that workers will log overtime.<\/p>\n
White adds that high demand for plumbers incentivizes workers to switch employers, and they are often enticed by the longer hours and therefore better pay being offered by data center developers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually hear these stories all the time,\u201d Quinonez tells WIRED. \u201cYou’re going to get paid quickly because you’re dealing with an Amazon, or a Google, or a large tech company. So there’s competition across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe competition does get fierce,\u201d Quinonez adds. \u201cAnd part of the problem is there’s just not enough plumbers and HVAC technicians.\u201d<\/p>\n
In any industry, companies are always competing for a limited pool of manpower. But in construction, Madello says, some of the pressure is offset by the reserve of traveling tradespeople, who are prepared to show up \u201canytime you build something in the middle of nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n