{"id":35700,"date":"2026-06-11T18:03:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T01:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/meta-earmarks-115m-for-workforce-academy-to-support-data-center-construction\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T18:03:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T01:03:01","slug":"meta-earmarks-115m-for-workforce-academy-to-support-data-center-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/meta-earmarks-115m-for-workforce-academy-to-support-data-center-construction\/","title":{"rendered":"Meta earmarks $115M for workforce academy to support data center construction"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/static\/img\/play.svg?313321260226\" alt=\"-\"><br \/>\n        Listen to the article<\/p>\n<p>            <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">3 min<\/span><\/p>\n<p>    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"https:\/\/text-to-speech.divecdn.com\/newspost\/822698\/2026-06-11_15.10.18\/meta-workforce-academy-data-center-construction.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">feedback<\/a>.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Dive Brief:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Meta has launched<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/about.fb.com\/news\/2026\/06\/americas-workforce-academy-free-skilled-trade-training\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>America\u2019s Workforce Academy<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, a $115 million workforce development initiative designed to provide free skilled-trades training and guaranteed job opportunities on data center construction projects, the company announced Monday.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>The program, which Meta called the largest private-sector commitment to skilled-trades training with a job guarantee in U.S. history, will launch in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio and Texas, this year. Participants will earn National Center for Construction Education and Research credentials.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>The initiative comes as Meta expands data center construction to support artificial intelligence growth, increasing demand for electricians, welders, fiber technicians, plumbers and other skilled craft professionals amid an <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/labor-demand-gap-shrinks-abc-construction-staff\/810681\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>ongoing construction labor shortage<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Dive Insight:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Meta is just one of the tech companies investing <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/data-center-construction-spending-april\/821894\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>billions of dollars in AI-related data centers<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, creating demand for thousands of skilled craft workers at a time when contractors continue to report <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/april-construction-job-openings-labor-shortage-data\/821840\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>labor shortages across the construction industry<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. The company has announced <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/meta-breaks-ground-data-center-how-many\/818344\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>major data center investments<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> in the same four states selected for the academy\u2019s initial rollout.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cThe AI infrastructure we\u2019re building today requires an incredible workforce to make it a reality,\u201d Rachel Peterson, Meta vice president of data centers, said in the release. \u201cAmerica needs hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople\u2014electricians, mechanics, fiber technicians and more\u2014and this program creates clear, accessible pathways into those careers.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Associated Builders and Contractors has partnered with Meta on AWA to deliver training through its own network of education facilities. Participants will begin with instruction in site safety, hand and power tools, construction math and building fundamentals before advancing to craft-specific training, Michael Bellaman, ABC\u2019s president and CEO, told Construction Dive.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cThis transformational endeavor creates incredible construction-ready careers,\u201d Bellaman said via email. \u201cABC will be utilizing our existing, proven training centers \u2014 including instructors, classrooms, lab facilities and tools \u2014 that have educated thousands of craft professionals who have gone on to fulfill their career dreams in construction.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>After completing foundational coursework, participants will move into specialized training programs in disciplines such as electrical, mechanical and piping trades. Bellaman noted the academy leverages ABC\u2019s existing network of roughly 800 training centers nationally while introducing an accelerated model tailored to the needs of data center construction.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The employment promise is among the program\u2019s most notable features. Graduates who complete the application process, background check, drug screening and training requirements will be eligible for jobs on Meta data center projects through the company\u2019s contractor partners.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cThis is a nationwide, unprecedented fast-track to a long-term career in a skilled trade,\u201d Bellaman said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/meta-workforce-academy-data-center-construction\/822698\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This article was originally posted at Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Listen to the article 3 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Dive &#8230; <a title=\"Meta earmarks $115M for workforce academy to support data center construction\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/meta-earmarks-115m-for-workforce-academy-to-support-data-center-construction\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Meta earmarks $115M for workforce academy to support data center construction\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[457],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-construction-dive","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35700"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35700\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}