Houston is one of four pilot cities for Meta's new $115 million skilled-trades training program.
Why it matters: It includes a job guarantee for graduates, while helping meet demand for skilled workers as more data centers are being built.
The big picture: The AI boom is driving a data center buildout that McKinsey estimates could hit $7 trillion globally by 2030. Tech companies need more than chips and power — they need workers to build the physical infrastructure.
Driving the news: America's Workforce Academy is free for participants and aims to address the shortage of skilled trade workers, including fiber technicians, welders, plumbers, electricians and more.
The program will also launch in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Indianapolis; and Columbus, Ohio — all areas where Meta has data center projects.
What we're watching: Whether Meta's job-guarantee model becomes a template for other tech companies racing to build AI infrastructure — and facing the same shortage of skilled workers.
