As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the global economy, Google on Wednesday announced that it is committing $10 million to support the training of 100,000 electrical workers and 30,000 new apprentices in the U.S.
This initiative aims to help address a looming shortage of qualified electricians and meet the rapidly growing demand for electricity driven by AI, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy transitions.
The new effort, supported by funding from Google.org, will partner with the Electrical Training ALLIANCE (etA) — a joint venture of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) – to support apprenticeship and workforce training programs
“This initiative with Google and our partners at NECA and the Electrical Training Alliance will bring more than 100,000 sorely needed electricians into the trade to meet the demands of an AI-driven surge in data centers and power generation,” Kenneth Cooper, International President of the IBEW labour union, said in a statement to Reuters.
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Read the Whitepaper
Google has also released a new white paper, “Powering a New Era of American Innovation,” warning that the energy demand from AI is expected to be substantial, with projections estimating an additional 15 to 90 gigawatts (GW) of power needed for U.S. data centers by 2030.
For context, the U.S. Department of Energy notes that 1 GW is roughly equal to the output of 103 offshore wind turbines.
“McKinsey estimates that 130,000 additional electricians will be needed by 2030 to build out data centers and manufacturing facilities in the coming years. But we’re going in the wrong direction: Nearly 10,000 American electricians either retire or change careers each year while only about 7,000 new entrants join the field,” reads the white paper.
Google’s partnership with etA is designed to reverse that trend. The program will integrate AI tools into its training curriculum and offer participants access to Google’s AI Essentials course, helping them build both technical trade expertise and foundational AI skills. The program aims to increase the electrical workforce pipeline by 70% within the next five years.
While no single company can resolve the anticipated labour shortfall on its own, Google argues that through shared public and private efforts to introduce and support training programs, such as Google.org supported program, the U.S. can position itself at the forefront of the AI era to build a reliable, affordable, and skilled workforce as well as a sustainable energy future.
Google Going All Out for AI
Earlier this month, Google announced that it is collaborating with the largest grid operator in North America – PJM Interconnection – to deploy AI technologies aimed at expediting grid connection timelines for power projects and large load users, like data centers.
