Google to fund training of 100,000 new electricians in effort to support AI infrastructure

Google said it will fund the training of 100,000 electrical tradesmen over the next five years in an effort to support America’s future AI infrastructure and its growing power consumption needs.

The tech behemoth said the new initiative announced Wednesday is aimed at increasing America’s electrical workforce by 70% within the next five years.

Sponsored by the company's philanthropic arm, Google.org, the funding will cover the costs of training at least 100,000 electrical workers and 30,000 new apprentices in the US.

The new initiative expects to fill a current shortage of electrical workers, which could negatively impact America’s ability to build the necessary infrastructure to "support AI, advanced manufacturing, and a shift to clean energy,” the company said.

“The deployment of AI will grow the American economy, create jobs, accelerate scientific advances and more,” Google said.

“Fully realizing these opportunities requires an effort to rapidly increase the capacity of the nation's existing, sometimes antiquated energy system,” it said.

Between 2010 and 2018, global data center energy consumption increased by 6% while compute workloads increased by 550%. This implies an energy intensity decrease of approximately 20% per year, Google noted, citing a 2024 report by the Clean Grid Initiative.

The US needs more electrical workers to power the #AI boom & manufacturing growth. That’s why we’re supporting @IBEWNECAetA to equip 100k+ electricians & 30k+ apprentices with AI-powered learning tools & AR/VR by 2030. Learn more ⬇️ https://t.co/RM8rTdVGvI

undefined Google.org (@Googleorg) May 7, 2025

Program will incorporate AI training

The funding itself will go directly to the electrical training Alliance (etA), the largest apprenticeship and training program of its kind in the US, in partnership with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union. As part of the new etA program, training in AI tools, including Google’s AI Essentials course, launched free to the public last April, will be incorporated into the apprentice curriculum.

The announcement coincides with Google’s release of a new 16-page white paper, “Powering a New Era of American Innovation,” presenting over a dozen policy proposals designed to tackle the challenges of seamless AI and digital transformation in the US.

Besides increasing the labor force, this would include “optimizing use of the existing grid and unlocking construction of new transmission infrastructure.”

Policy proposals encourage finding solutions and expanding investments in “affordable, reliable, and secure energy technologies, including geothermal, advanced nuclear, and natural gas generation with carbon capture,” the paper states.

Stressing the importance of public and private collaboration to address future power consumption needs, the etA program was designed to complement Google’s commitment to equip 1 million Americans with AI skills through the AI Opportunity Fund.

“By unlocking advanced electricity resources and grid infrastructure, the United States would enable all sources of electricity to contribute to a more reliable and affordable energy future,” Google said.

In 2023, Google pledged $20 million to establish cybersecurity clinics across the US to help address the nation’s cybersecurity workforce gap and stay ahead of evolving threats.