Blackstone COO Predicts Blue-Collar Job Boom Amid Data Center Expansion
Jon Gray, President and COO of Blackstone, predicts a significant surge in blue-collar employment over the next five years, driven by massive investments in AI infrastructure and data centers. Gray highlighted QTS, a Blackstone portfolio company, which plans to quadruple its workforce from 10,000 to 40,000 by the end of 2026. This expansion reflects a broader trend where global spending on data centers could reach $7 trillion by 2030, creating high-demand roles for electricians, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians. Construction workers on these projects earn approximately $81,800 annually, significantly higher than non-data center builds. However, the industry faces a critical labor shortage, with an estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs potentially unfilled in the U.S. by 2030 due to an aging workforce and historical emphasis on four-year degrees. To address this, companies like Blackstone are investing in workforce development initiatives, such as the Blackstone Skilled Futures program in partnership with Arizona State University, to rebuild the talent pipeline and meet the growing demand for skilled labor in the AI economy.
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