SpaceX wants blue-collar workers to build AI data centers in space
Young people see trade-based professions as the most stable.
Image by Cybernews
- Elon Musk says SpaceX is hiring engineers and skilled tradespeople to build and operate major AI data centers.
- Candidates must email three bullet points proving exceptional ability, reflecting Musk’s focus on practical skills over resumes.
- SpaceX links the hiring push to its long-term plans for AI infrastructure on Earth, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
- The AI boom is increasing demand for tradespeople, as Gen Z reconsiders college and office jobs for more stable careers.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Elon Musk says that SpaceX is looking for exceptional talent to build and operate some of humanity’s “most powerful” data centers, both on and off Earth.
When we talk about AI, someone will always bring up job insecurity. People believe that entry-level jobs will be automated, leaving nothing for graduates or young people.
But, according to prominent tech CEOs, this isn’t true as their companies are creating hundreds of jobs through AI data centers. You just have to become a manual laborer.
Musk recently announced that SpaceX is “hiring exceptional engineering and skilled trades talent” to help build and manage humanity’s “most powerful AI supercomputer clusters.”
All you have to do is email 3 bullet points that evidence your “exceptional ability” and attach a copy of your resume.
What is the 3-bullet-point hiring process?
Musk often uses this simple hiring rule for potential employees, but SpaceX doesn’t just hire anyone – it's truly looking for the best of the best.
This hallmark 3-bullet-point hiring process is used to find the best candidates for his roles at his companies, according to Business Insider.
These points must outline the potential employee’s “exceptional ability,” clearly evidenced by presenting the most difficult technical challenges they’ve solved.
Musk’s method shows a shift towards more obvious skill-based hiring rather than getting sidetracked by what a person may put on their resume.
The tech entrepreneur once said that “the resume may seem very impressive, but if the conversation after 20 minutes is not ‘Wow,’ you should believe the conversation, not the paper,” according to HR Grapevine.
It’s not enough to have an impressive resume, as big tech companies want to see what you can actually do, particularly with what Musk has been talking about over the years.
Stay updated with our latest stories and follow us on social media
Be the first to discover new stories, ideas, and updates from our team.
Musk won’t stop talking about Mars
The SpaceX CEO has always promised that humans will become interplanetary beings, with many of us working and living on different planets.
Musk is now gradually building a workforce of tradespeople who will be integral to constructing and operating AI data centers in space.
Ahead of SpaceX's public launch, the company published its prospectus, which reiterated its plans to colonize space.
“Our innovations and technological advancements are redefining industries on Earth, while we aim to create new ones on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. We are truly building the infrastructure of the future,” according to SpaceX's SEC filing.
SpaceX also said that Musk could earn 1 billion in stocks (Class B shares) if he established a “permanent human colony on Mars” with at least 1 million inhabitants, according to Fortune.
This “bonus” further incentivizes Musk to colonize and build on far-off planets, but he’ll need the power of trades professionals behind him.
Lucky for big tech CEOs, young people are becoming more interested in trade jobs.
AI boom forces Gen Z to think about job stability
While Gen Z has been subjected to fear-mongering in the wake of the AI revolution, big tech CEOs assure the public that there’s plenty of work for young people.
Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, claims that the construction of AI data centers will require hundreds of thousands of tradespeople, according to Fortune.
Alex Karp, CEO of the American spytech company Palantir, reiterates the point that AI will inevitably force people to pursue careers in manual-labor-based professions.
“If you’re a vocational technician, or like, we’re building batteries for a battery company, now you’re very valuable, if not irreplaceable,” the tech CEO once said.
Plumbers, engineers, electricians, and other skilled tradespeople will be needed to fill roles, and while Gen Z initially rejected these professions, there is renewed interest in manual jobs because of AI.
Just 3 years ago, Gen Z (79%) said their parents thought it was important to pursue a college education. Now, almost all (92%) parents encourage their children to pursue trade school, according to the Blue Collar Report.
This attitude towards manual jobs has shifted somewhat, with 82% of Gen Z saying they see better opportunities in skilled trade professions today.
Financially speaking, trades jobs at facilities run by major tech companies could earn you $100,000 plus overtime, all without a college degree, according to Fortune.
Gen Z’s change in attitude isn’t just about which professions are most lucrative – it’s about which professions are safe from AI.
The tried-and-tested pipeline from college to office isn’t secure anymore, so 42% of Gen Z believe college isn’t the most stable pathway.
