The AI boom is proving unpredictable for the construction workers building the massive data centers that power it. According to WSJWorkers moving into data-center construction are seeing pay increases of 25% to 30% compared to their previous jobs — and in some cases, much more.
One of them is Daymond Chambliss, who sold his small drywall business in Columbus, Ohio for a supervisor’s role overseeing 200 employees at a data center site. He now earns more than $100,000 annually. “I pinch myself every day to go to work,” the 51-year-old told the Journal. In Oregon, electrical safety specialist Mark Benner makes $225,000 a year, while electrician Andrew Mason makes more than $200,000 managing crews at six Northern Virginia data centers.
The Journal reports that it’s not just about higher base pay. Companies are sweetening the pot with benefits like heated break tents, free lunches, daily incentive bonuses, and even remote project management positions. A construction site offers workers $100 in daily incentive pay, which may add up.
Tech giants like Amazon, Google and Microsoft are racing to build hundreds of new data centers, creating a shortage of about 439,000 skilled workers in the industry, according to the Associated Builders & Contractors trade group.
