The construction boom is redefining job opportunities

Many parents have told their kids, “If you don’t go to college, you won’t get a good job.”

Well, it turns out they may have been wrong.

That’s as some skilled workers, particularly in the construction industry, are earning more than some college graduates, reversing traditional earnings patterns.

These employment trends are “supply and demand at work,” said Darren Grahsl, director of Dealer Financial Services at BOK Financial®.

On the demand side, the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure is creating a surge in demand for physical construction—and the skilled workers required to support it.

On the supply side, 94% of construction firms reported difficulty finding workers, and 80% reported having to cancel, postpone or scale back at least one project because of it, according to a 2025 survey by the Associated General Contractors of America and the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

This worker shortage is projected to grow, which could dampen U.S. economic growth, an impact report from Bring Back the Trades Inc. and F.W. Webb Company found. The analysis projected that there could be 1.4 million unfilled jobs in just seven trade categories by 2030, resulting in an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) loss of $325.6 billion nationally by 2030.

AI, datacenter build-out fueling demand for skilled trade workers

Much of the conversation around AI has focused on automation and its potential to reduce the demand for some white-collar work; however, the expansion of datacenters and energy infrastructure is having the opposite effect on the trades. Companies are investing heavily in new projects, and those projects require equipment, labor and ongoing maintenance.

Anything being built—or taken apart—typically requires the use of heavy equipment and skilled workers to operate it, Grahsl said.

Datacenters, in particular, require large-scale construction projects that span multiple phases, from site preparation to buildout to ongoing expansion. McKinsey & Company estimates that a typical large data center of around 250,000 square feet may need as many as 1,500 workers on-site during construction, requiring a crew of site developers, equipment operators, construction workers, electricians and technicians.

“They need a lot of power, they need a lot of equipment and they need a lot of workers—and I think this is going to go on for a number of years,” Grahsl said.

Datacenter construction is the heaviest in remote areas where there is abundant power and less-strained power grids, the McKinsey report found. However, some of the primary markets for datacenter presence are near big cities such as Phoenix and Dallas, while Albuquerque and states such as Oklahoma and Kansas are secondary markets.

Altogether, projects are being developed wherever land, power and regulatory conditions will allow, creating a nationwide need for skilled labor and ripple effects that are extending beyond construction firms to equipment dealers, service providers and financing partners. As Grahsl said, “We’ve absolutely seen greater need for heavy equipment financing tied to these large datacenter buildouts.”

Return on investment shifting toward trades

For workers entering the labor force, the economics of career paths are changing as well, Grahsl noted. Traditional four-year college degrees often require significant time and financial investment, and they don’t always lead to immediate earnings. By contrast, many trade programs can be completed in one to two years, allowing individuals to enter the workforce sooner.

“When you think about return on investment—from both an economic perspective and a time perspective—with the trades, you come out making good money day one with little to no student loan debt, particularly compared to those who spent four or five years pursuing a college degree,” he said.

For businesses, this shift underscores the importance of workforce development. Major companies and industry groups are investing in training programs and apprenticeships to help close the gap, recognizing that future growth depends on the availability of skilled labor. For instance, the AED Foundation, for which Grahsl serves as the treasurer and a board member, addresses the shortage of skilled workers through accredited college and high school programs.

A long-term structural shift

Although the current demand is being fueled by AI-related construction, the underlying trends suggest a more durable shift. “These jobs aren’t going away,” Grahsl said.

Even as technology advances, the need for physical infrastructure remains constant, and heavy equipment must be operated and serviced. For workers, this demand signals a shift in where—and how—economic value is created.

In Grahsl’s words: “Our country needs skilled workers now more than ever, as skilled labor is a bottleneck to growth.”