While a specific number for US manufacturing companies isn't available, the overall global data center workforce is projected to grow to approximately 2.3 million employees by 2025, with significant demand in North America. This growth is driven by an increase in data center construction and operation, including for AI infrastructure, creating a high demand for specialized roles like electrical and IT engineers.
Key
factors for data center staffing needs
Global
workforce growth:
The global data center workforce is forecast to grow from about 2 million in 2019 to nearly 2.3 million by 2025.
North
American demand:
A large portion of this growth is expected in North America, followed by Asia-Pacific and Europe.
Increased
need for specialists:
The
demand is for a wide range of specialist roles, including those needed to
design, build, and operate data centers.
Impact
of AI:
The rise of AI is a major driver, creating a high demand for skills in areas like power-distribution systems, especially for electrical engineers.
Retirement
wave:
The US is experiencing a "silver tsunami" effect, where many experienced data center employees are nearing retirement, adding to the demand for new hires, particularly for senior roles.
Labor
shortage:
The
industry is facing a talent shortage, with a high percentage of companies
struggling to find and retain qualified staff.
What this means for US manufacturing
Indirect
impact:
Manufacturing companies will likely feel an indirect impact, as they rely on data center services to run their operations and may need to hire or train staff to manage this reliance.
Potential
for collaboration:
The increasing need for data center talent could present opportunities for collaboration between manufacturing and technology sectors.
Talent
competition:
Manufacturing companies may face increased competition for talent with skills in areas like IT and data management, as the overall demand for these skills rises.
For 2025, there is no specific figure for the number of data center employees needed by U.S. manufacturing companies alone. Forecasts address overall market trends, indicating a stiffening competition for talent between data centers and the manufacturing sector, especially for skilled technical workers.
Here's
a breakdown of the workforce trends for 2025:
Overall data center demand is growing: Globally, demand for data center employees is projected to reach 2.3 million in 2025, an increase of 300,000 from 2019. North America accounts for a significant portion of this growth, but specific breakdowns for the manufacturing industry are not publicly available.
Competition
for talent is increasing: Data centers are aggressively hiring for roles like
critical environment technicians, HVAC support, and electricians. This puts
them in direct competition with the manufacturing sector for the same pool of
skilled trade workers.
Manufacturing is also facing a worker shortage: According to the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. had approximately 400,000 unfilled skilled trade jobs in 2025, a number that could grow significantly by 2033.
"Silver Tsunami" retirement wave: Both the data center and manufacturing industries are experiencing an accelerated retirement of a large, experienced cohort of workers. This phenomenon, dubbed the "silver tsunami," adds to the surge in demand for younger, qualified replacements.
Impact of AI and automation: While AI and automation are significant trends in both manufacturing and data centers, they are not expected to reduce the need for skilled technical staff in data center operations in the near term. In fact, the boom in AI is driving even more demand for data center capacity and the staff to support it.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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