Skilled Trades Soaring: Demand Skyrockets as AI Boom Powers Up!

Introduction

Get ready for some big news straight from the top: BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, head of the world’s largest asset manager, dropped a game-changer at CERAWeek in Houston on March 18, 2025. “I’ve even told members of the Trump team that we’re going to run out of electricians needed to build out AI data centers. We just don’t have enough,” he said. And it’s not just electricians—plumbers, welders, and other skilled trades are riding this wave too. The AI boom is cranking up demand for hands-on talent, and if you’ve ever thought about grabbing a toolbox, now’s your time to shine—skilled trades are incredibly in demand!

In this post, we’ll dig into why trades like electrical work, plumbing, and welding are blowing up, how AI’s growth is fueling this surge, and what it means for you. We’ll also point you to some top-notch resources to jump into this red-hot market. Let’s roll!

Skilled Trades Job Growth

Skilled Trades Take Off: BlackRock and IBEW Weigh In

Larry Fink isn’t just talking Wall Street—he’s spotlighting the folks who keep America running. At CERAWeek, he flagged a massive need for electricians to wire up AI data centers, but the story’s bigger than that. Plumbers and welders are just as crucial, and the numbers prove it. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) projects that the demand for workers will outpace supply until “well into the 2030s.” “This is double the job growth we’ve ever seen in our history,” IBEW International President Kenneth Cooper said in January. That’s not a shortage—it’s a full-on boom for skilled trades!

The U.S. Department of Energy adds fuel to the fire, projecting data centers could eat up 12% of the nation’s electricity by 2028, up from 4.4% in 2023. That means more power plants, pipelines, and buildings—all needing tradespeople. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts electrician jobs will grow 11% by 2032, welders by 5%, and plumbers by 4%. With many pros retiring and new projects piling up, the IBEW’s right—demand’s not slowing down anytime soon.

AI’s Big Build: Trades Are the Backbone

AI isn’t just code—it’s concrete, pipes, and steel. Data centers powering ChatGPT and beyond need electricians for wiring, plumbers for cooling systems, and welders for structural frames. Add in electric vehicle chargers, solar farms, and factory upgrades, and you’ve got a tech revolution leaning hard on the trades. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects over 700,000 new trade jobs by 2032, and that’s just the start.

Fink’s warning ties it together: tech’s big dreams need skilled hands to make them real. Companies are racing to build, and they’re hungry for workers who can get it done. This isn’t a future gig—it’s happening now, and the trades are the power behind it all.

Gen Z Joins the Party: Trades Go Viral

Here’s the kicker: Gen Z is all in. Once chasing tech jobs at Google or Tesla, they’re now turning to the trades after tech’s layoffs and shifts. A survey says 55% of Gen Zers are open to skilled trade careers, and vocational enrollment at community colleges spiked 16% in 2023—the highest since 2018, per the National Student Clearinghouse.

Why? Trades pay off big: think six figures for union electricians, welders, or plumbers, no student debt, and jobs AI can’t nab. Social media’s buzzing—check the "Salary Transparent Street" TikTok where two electrical apprentices said, “You get paid to train, and we’ll make $109,000 a year after.” Welders and plumbers are flexing similar wins. With AI driving demand into the 2030s, Gen Z’s timing couldn’t be better.

Your Turn to Cash In

This is your moment. Skilled trades are on fire—electricians wiring the future, plumbers keeping it cool, welders holding it together. New to the game or switching gears? The AI boom’s got your back with high wages, steady work, and a chance to build what’s next.

At Tradez, we’re your launchpad. Hit our Jobs Board for over 10,000 skilled trades jobs refreshed daily—electrician, plumbing, welding gigs matched to your skills with smart tech. Then, check out our Certifications page for credentials like OSHA 10 (key for 70-80% of entry-level trade jobs) or welding certs that unlock doors. These tools will plug you into the infrastructure boom powering AI—fast.

Conclusion

BlackRock’s Larry Fink and the IBEW see it loud and clear: skilled trades are in incredible demand, with no slowdown in sight. From AI data centers to green energy, trades like electrical work, plumbing, and welding are the muscle behind this tech era.

Key Citations

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