This talent CEO says laid-off tech workers are ignoring a $300K 'white-collar trade job' with 81K openings a year

A talent CEO stated that laid-off tech workers are overlooking skilled trade roles such as data center technician positions, which can pay up to $300,000 annually. The CEO cited 81,000 annual openings driven by demand from the data center construction boom, with HVAC engineer roles increasing 67% and construction jobs growing 30% since late 2022.

The article attributes this demand surge to the infrastructure needs of artificial intelligence, including data centers required to power AI models. The CEO described these technician jobs as 'white-collar trade' roles, combining technical skills with hands-on work, and suggested that displaced tech professionals are not pursuing them despite the high salaries and availability.

This trend reflects broader shifts in the labor market as AI development impacts both tech employment and related infrastructure sectors. The data center build-out is creating new job categories that differ from traditional tech roles, highlighting potential retraining opportunities amid industry changes.