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A staffing chief says that tech professionals recently laid off from corporate roles should turn their attention to one booming part of the economy: skilled trades.<\/p>\n
Carrie Charles, the CEO of recruiting firm Broadstaff, works with giants like Verizon and Oracle on their staffing needs. She told Business Insider<\/a> earlier this week that her firm is now handling far more requests for highly trained electricians and technicians tied to the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. Companies need skilled workers to install and maintain data centers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOur phone has never rang so much in our 10 years as a staffing company,\u201d Charles said. \u201cThe space is on fire right now \u2014 it\u2019s wild.\u201d<\/p>\n In her view, these technician and electrician roles blend the expectations of a professional, corporate environment with the practical, hands-on work of a skilled trade, making them a realistic landing spot for tech employees looking to reinvent their careers after a layoff.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYoung people, people in their 40s, getting laid off is all over the media, and it\u2019s this massive shock,\u201d Charles told Business Insider. \u201cBut there\u2019s a massive opportunity over here.\u201d<\/p>\n An enormous wave of data center projects, worth nearly $700 billion<\/a>, is now a key force behind U.S. economic growth. One planned site is about four times<\/a> the size of Central Park. Building and running these facilities takes large teams of workers.<\/p>\n Deloitte found<\/a> that job postings for data center roles increased 64% from 2023 to 2025. According to the U.S. Census Bureau<\/a>, data center employment in the U.S. jumped by over 60% from 2016 to 2023. Industry leaders say hiring still isn\u2019t keeping up: in a survey by the Uptime Institute<\/a>, an advisory organization, 54% of data center executives<\/a> cited finding talent as their biggest challenge.\u00a0<\/p>\n Glassdoor<\/a> data suggests that advanced technicians can earn up to $95,000, with a median salary of $71,000. Senior electricians with strong skills can often earn six figures<\/a>, with an estimated salary of $110,000. Charles added that pay can reach $300,000 for electricians specializing in data center systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n Electricians are set to remain in strong demand over the next decade. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts<\/a> about 81,000 electrician job postings<\/a> each year through 2034, and expects the role to grow \u201cmuch faster\u201d than other occupations.\u00a0<\/p>\n Charles said making a career pivot and becoming certified as an electrician was similar to going to law school in your 30s or 40s. Both career paths require years of training, but offer high long-term salaries.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard, and there\u2019s an element of risk,\u201d Charles told Business Insider. \u201cBut the opportunities are massive. You have to take a step back to take a step forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n A staffing chief says that tech professionals recently laid off from corporate roles should turn their attention to one booming part of the economy: skilled trades.<\/p>\n Carrie Charles, the CEO of recruiting firm Broadstaff, works with giants like Verizon and Oracle on their staffing needs. She told Business Insider<\/a> earlier this week that her firm is now handling far more requests for highly trained electricians and technicians tied to the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. Companies need skilled workers to install and maintain data centers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOur phone has never rang so much in our 10 years as a staffing company,\u201d Charles said. \u201cThe space is on fire right now \u2014 it\u2019s wild.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nThe payoff<\/h2>\n
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