Nvidia CEO predicts boom for skilled trades as AI data centers expand

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicts a bright future for skilled tradespeople. AI data center expansion drives significant infrastructure build-out globally. This growth will create many six-figure jobs for electricians and construction workers. Demand for electricians is particularly high for building AI facilities. Other tech leaders also warn of labor shortages impacting manufacturing and construction.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has predicted that people involved with skilled trades will have a bright future. As technology companies invest billions of dollars in AI data centres, Huang says the next wave of six-figure jobs will be created for electricians, plumbers, construction workers and steelworkers rather than being limited to traditional white-collar careers. Huang's comments may prove true as technology companies continue to invest in AI infrastructure, including data centres, chip facilities and computing clusters. According to estimates cited by Fortune, global capital spending on data centres could reach $7 trillion by the end of the decade.

Speaking during a conversation with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year, Huang said that the AI industry is driving what he described as "the largest infrastructure build-out in human history," adding, "It's wonderful that the jobs are related to tradecraft, and we're going to have plumbers and electricians and construction and steelworkers." He also said, "Everybody should be able to make a great living. You don't need to have a PhD in computer science to do so."

The data center expansion is expected to increase demand for skilled trade workers involved in building and maintaining these facilities. A McKinsey report estimates that between 2023 and 2030, the US will require an additional 130,000 electricians, 240,000 construction labourers and 150,000 construction supervisors.

Previously, Huang has even said that AI will reshape employment beyond software engineering and computer science. Speaking to Channel 4 News in 2025, he said: "The skilled craft segment of every economy is going to see a boom." He added, "You're going to have to be doubling and doubling and doubling every single year."

Electricians identified as a key shortage as data centers grow rapidly

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink also highlighted electricians as a critical workforce for AI infrastructure. Speaking at CERAWeek, an S&P Global energy conference, Fink said: "I've even told members of the Trump team that we're going to run out of electricians that we need to build out AI data centers. We just don't have enough," he noted.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for electricians is projected to grow 9% over the next decade, reflecting continued demand as AI infrastructure and other construction projects expand.

Other tech CEOs also warn of labour shortages

Ford CEO Jim Farley has also highlighted the growing need for skilled workers, while warning that AI is changing hiring patterns for office jobs. Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival in 2025, Farley said, "There's more than one way to the American Dream, but our whole education system is focused on a four-year [college] education." He also added, "Hiring an entry worker at a tech company has fallen 50% since 2019. Is that really where we want all of our kids to go? Artificial intelligence is gonna replace literally half of all white-collar workers in the U.S." Farley has also raised concerns about labour shortages affecting US manufacturing. "I think the intent is there, but there's nothing to backfill the ambition," he said. Speaking to Axios in September 2025, he said, "How can we reshore all this stuff if we don't have people to work there?" In June 2025, Farley said the US was already short 600,000 factory workers and 500,000 construction workers.