How the Rise of AI, Data Centers, Executive Orders, and Deregulation are Fueling the Demand for Skilled Workers
President Donald Trump’s second term has been marked by a flurry of executive orders (EOs) and policy shifts aimed at accelerating U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence (AI). These orders cover multiple fronts – deregulation, workforce development, AI infrastructure, and education, collectively what the White House calls, America’s AI Action Plan. While the stated goal is to make the United States the dominant global AI power, the policies have far‑reaching consequences for skilled trades workers who build and maintain the physical infrastructure that AI requires.
AI Action Plan
In January 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14179, kicking off a national “AI Action Plan” aimed at accelerating U.S. dominance in AI. The order reversed previous AI oversight rules, eliminated regulations that burden AI innovation, streamlined permitting for data centers and energy infrastructure, and included an order to withhold discretionary federal funds from states whose laws slow AI deployment.
In April 2025, two EOs focused on workforce development. The “Preparing Americans for High‑Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future” EO directs the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education to review all federal training programs and identify overlaps. It emphasizes registered apprenticeships, sets a goal of reaching one million active apprentices, and seeks to expand apprenticeship models into new industries such as data‑center operations and AI manufacturing. Furthermore, the “Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth” EO recognizing the need for a future workforce. This EO establishes a task force to develop AI curricula and educator training. It promotes AI literacy and seeks to expose students to AI career pathways.
A July 2025 executive order directed federal agencies to streamline permitting for large scale data center projects, offering grants, loans, and tax incentives for facilities with loads above 100 MW. It also opened additional Federal lands. Environmental reviews under NEPA and the Clean Water Act were relaxed, and data centers were granted nationwide permits without pre-construction notifications, aligning with requests from major tech firms.
Trump’s administration backed the Stargate Project, a joint venture announced in January 2025 between OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle, and others, pledging up to $500 billion in infrastructure investment by 2029. It includes at least ten data centers already under construction in Texas, each designed to require significant power installations and potentially over 100,000 jobs.
The Power-Hungry World of AI and Data Centers
The push to build data centers is generating a construction surge across the country. Meta and Microsoft alone are investing billions of dollars in new computing campuses; one Microsoft project in Wisconsin is expected to create 2,300 construction jobs and ultimately support 2,000 permanent data center jobs. All-in-all, 275 new U.S. data centers are already planned for construction from now till 2035, 20 of them classified as “hyperscale campuses”. These mega‑projects need armies of electricians, HVAC technicians, pipefitters, and project managers to install robust electrical systems, complex cooling and ventilation, fire suppression, and other critical infrastructure.
During peak summer months, the U.S consumes 60-75% of its daily power capacity. By 2028, these centers are expected to utilize 12% of the nation’s power capacity (3x current data center usage), which will result in the consumption of approximate 85% of the country’s total power capacity. This rapid expansion is placing unprecedented pressure on the nation’s electrical grid, and the skilled professionals who build and maintain it.
AI driven automation is also boosting demand for robotics technicians in manufacturing and logistics facilities. Warehouses and factories deploying AI guided robots “don’t run themselves,” creating opportunities for workers with mechatronics, electrical, and IT skills.
America Needs More Electricians and Fast
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a need for 80,200 new electrician jobs by 2032. However, the BLS has consistently proven its inability to accurately measure job creation or industry needs. Given the advancements in AI and industry efficiency while accounting for planned retirements, we anticipate the true need for electricians to be just north of 100,000 by 2035.
Aside from union facilities, there are currently 563 accredited training programs in the U.S., which means that each program will need to produce an average of 178 trained electricians. While this seems like an attainable number, it is critical to keep in mind that schooling can take 6 months to 2 years to complete, and most electrical apprenticeships require 4 years, bringing the training timeline for new talent to average over 5 years. With experienced electricians retiring at a high rate, the need to accelerate the recruitment and training of the next generation of electricians couldn’t be more critical.
A Career with Bright Prospects
For young people exploring their career options, or anyone looking to pivot into a more stable and future-proof trade, becoming an electrician has never looked better:
- High demand and job security – currently the 2nd most in-demand skilled trade job in U.S.
- Excellent wages without student debt – average electrician earns $38.79 phr, that’s $80,683 annually before overtime (and remember no more tax on overtime!)
- Nationwide opportunities across many industries
- Pathways to specialize in high-tech sectors like renewable energy and advanced manufacturing
Whether working on massive data campuses or helping cities modernize their power grids, the work is essential, respected, and here to stay.
The Bottom Line
AI may be the future of computing, but it can’t run without power and power doesn’t move without electricians. With the Trump administration making data center construction and AI infrastructure a national priority, now is the time to train, recruit, and empower the next generation of electricians. Without Electricians, this high-voltage boom cannot be built, and America may risk falling behind in the global AI race.