AI Business
5d ago
Blackstone's Jon Gray anticipates significant growth in blue-collar jobs as data center hiring surges
May 14, 2026
AI Summary
Jon Gray, COO of Blackstone, forecasts a substantial increase in blue-collar employment driven by investments in AI infrastructure. His company QTS plans to expand its workforce from 10,000 to 40,000 workers by the end of the year, reflecting a growing demand for skilled trades in the data center sector.
- Jon Gray, COO of Blackstone, predicts a boom in blue-collar jobs over the next five years due to AI infrastructure investments.
- QTS, a Blackstone portfolio company, is set to increase its workforce from 10,000 to 40,000 by year-end, a 300% increase.
- Global spending on data centers could reach $7 trillion by 2030, creating demand for skilled trades such as electricians and HVAC technicians.
- The average salary for construction workers on data center projects is approximately $81,800 annually, 32% higher than non-data center roles.
- An estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs in the U.S. may remain unfilled by 2030, potentially leading to $1 trillion in economic losses annually.
- Factors contributing to the skilled trades shortage include an aging workforce, a focus on four-year degrees over vocational training, and increased labor demand.
- Blackstone has launched a $3 million initiative, Blackstone Skilled Futures, in partnership with local educational institutions to enhance skilled trades training in Phoenix.
- Lowe’s plans to invest $250 million over the next decade to train 250,000 individuals in skilled trades.
- BlackRock announced a $100 million investment in skilled-trade training programs, aiming to reach 50,000 workers in five years.
blue-collar jobsdata centersjob creationAI impacttrades