Meta and CBRE Group, Inc. unveiled a multiyear workforce initiative aimed at scaling the labor pipeline required for next-generation AI infrastructure. The program, called LevelUp, will recruit and train thousands of technicians across the United States to support the construction of Meta’s expanding data center footprint.
CBRE will establish multiple training centers beginning this summer, delivering hands-on instruction focused on installing fiber-optic cabling, racks, and other mission-critical infrastructure. Graduates will transition into roles supporting Meta’s data center builds through its contractor ecosystem. The curriculum is designed to produce job-ready technicians with transferable skills applicable across data center construction and broader infrastructure projects.
The initiative addresses a growing constraint in AI infrastructure deployment: the shortage of skilled labor capable of building and scaling high-density facilities. Meta currently has 27 data centers either operational or under construction in the U.S., with additional projects planned. Since 2010, its data center investments have supported more than 30,000 skilled trade jobs and 5,000 operational roles, underscoring the scale of workforce demand tied to hyperscale expansion.
- Multiyear program to train thousands of fiber and infrastructure technicians
- Training centers to launch across the U.S. starting summer 2026
- Focus areas include fiber installation, rack integration, and network infrastructure deployment
- Graduates will work on Meta data center construction projects via contractor networks
- Designed to address skilled labor shortages in AI and hyperscale infrastructure buildouts
- Meta currently operates or is building 27 U.S. data centers
- Program targets new entrants, including recent high school graduates and career switchers
“The future of the AI revolution depends on a highly skilled U.S. workforce – one that rises to the challenge of building and maintaining the complex systems that power innovation. Meta is proud to invest in technician training to support our ambitious infrastructure goals,” said Dina Powell McCormick, Meta’s President and Vice Chairman.
🌐 Analysis: Workforce constraints are emerging as a critical bottleneck in AI infrastructure expansion, alongside power and supply chain limitations. Initiatives like LevelUp signal that hyperscalers are moving beyond hardware procurement to address human capital at scale, particularly in fiber deployment and rack-level integration. CBRE’s involvement reflects a broader shift where real estate and infrastructure services firms play a central role in enabling hyperscale buildouts, competing alongside EPC contractors and specialized data center integrators.
