Building the workforce behind California’s AI economy

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OPINION — As California races to lead the next generation of artificial intelligence, the conversation often centers on chips, data centers and investment dollars.

But behind every major technology project are thousands of working people building the infrastructure that makes innovation possible. For electricians, ironworkers, operating engineers, plumbers and countless others, the AI boom is creating new pathways into stable, middle-class careers at a moment when employers across the country are searching for qualified workers.

The stakes extend far beyond California. The nation that builds the infrastructure needed to support these innovations will help shape the future global economy. China has committed trillions toward surpassing American capabilities in artificial intelligence and other critical technologies by 2030.

While much of the public debate focuses on software and computing power, far less attention is paid to the workforce responsible for constructing and maintaining the facilities that make those advances possible.

Data center projects are doing more than strengthening America’s competitive position. They are opening doors for young workers, veterans, and career changers looking for alternatives to mounting student debt and uncertain white-collar job markets.

If political resistance continues to slow critical infrastructure development, California risks undermining both its economic opportunity and its competitive edge at precisely the wrong moment.

The scale of this workforce opportunity is evident in projects like the new Prime data center in Sacramento. Built under a project labor agreement with the Sacramento-Sierra’s Building and Construction Trades Council, the development is creating opportunities for a new generation of ironworkers, plumbers, electricians and operating engineers while helping meet the growing demand for AI infrastructure.

This relationship between technological progress and workforce development is redefining the modern career path. For decades, Americans were told that a four-year college degree was the only route to financial stability, often leaving graduates with significant debt and uncertain job prospects.

Today, interest in the skilled trades is growing as more workers recognize the value of careers that offer competitive wages, strong benefits, and long-term job security.

Across the Sacramento region, where our Council represents 21 unions and 30 apprenticeship programs spanning seven counties, cohorts are filling rapidly. Participants include not only recent high school graduates but also military veterans and college degree holders seeking a more reliable path forward.

A recent report found that the demand for skilled trades closely tied to AI infrastructure is outpacing growth in many traditional white-collar sectors, underscoring a reality policymakers can no longer ignore: the future of innovation depends on the people physically building it.

The success of this workforce-development approach hinges on rigorous preparation and long-term retention. Programs like the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) program, developed in partnership with the National Building Trades Unions, provides an 11-week introduction to construction careers and helps participants identify the trade best suited to their skills before stepping onto a commercial job site.

With placement rates exceeding 75 percent, apprenticeship programs like MC3 are helping California workers build lasting careers while ensuring employers have access to a highly trained workforce.

Just as importantly, these opportunities are increasingly reaching communities that have historically been left out of major economic development projects. Through partnerships with local nonprofits and community organizations, workforce recruitment efforts are connecting residents from underserved neighborhoods with careers that offer family-supporting wages, healthcare benefits, and opportunities for advancement.

Rather than simply watching development happen around them, local residents are helping build the very infrastructure transforming their communities.

This collaborative ecosystem positions California workers at the center of the AI economy. Modern apprenticeship programs are designed to evolve alongside industry needs, with contractors and labor leaders continuously updating training to reflect new technologies, certifications, and construction standards.

As data centers and advanced manufacturing facilities become more sophisticated, workers are gaining the skills needed to meet those demands.

Recent initiatives like the California Competes Tax Credit program are expected to generate more than $1 billion in private-sector investment across technology, clean energy, and emerging industries.

These projects accelerate innovation while creating demand for the skilled workforce needed to sustain long-term growth. California is demonstrating that technological advancement and workforce development can move forward together.

The race with China for AI leadership will ultimately be won by people laying concrete, routing fiber, raising steel, and building the infrastructure that powers innovation.

By investing in apprenticeship pipelines and connecting major technology projects to local workers, California can strengthen its economy, expand opportunity, and help ensure America remains competitive in the decades ahead.

Kevin Ferreria is the executive director of the Sacramento-Sierra’s Building & Construction Trades Council.