Free training, guaranteed jobs: Meta launches $115 million five-week programme to boost AI data centre

Meta Platforms launched America’s Workforce Academy (AWA), a $115 million training program providing free five-week courses in skilled trades for Americans. Participants will receive industry-recognized certifications from the National Centre for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and guaranteed job placement at Meta’s data center construction sites. The initiative targets roles such as electrical work, HVAC installation, welding, plumbing, and fiber-optic technology, addressing a shortage of 349,000 workers in the U.S. construction industry this year alone. The program will initially operate in Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, and Texas, states hosting Meta’s data center projects, including the Hyperion facility in Richland Parish, Louisiana. Meta’s largest data center, Hyperion, is described as so expansive it would cover a significant portion of Manhattan. The initiative follows the success of Meta’s Level-Up fiber installation training program, which received 35,000 applications in its first week. AWA is a collaboration between Meta, commercial real estate firm CBRE, and the Associated Builders and Contractors. It also partners with community organizations like the National Urban League, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and local chambers of commerce in participating states. The program reflects a broader industry shift toward investing in skilled trades training to support AI-driven infrastructure growth. Lightcast data shows that job postings for data center-related construction roles have doubled over the past two years. Meta’s initiative complements other efforts, such as the BlackRock Foundation’s $100 million program expanding electrician training in Texas. The academy marks a departure from tech companies’ traditional focus on coding and software engineering, recognizing the need for skilled labor in physical infrastructure development.