The company is spending US$115 million for the first year of America’s Workforce Academy, a five-week program to train workers in the skilled trades needed in data-centre construction. Meta is partnering with CBRE on the initiative, which will begin in Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana and Texas this year. The program is free for participants, who are guaranteed a job once they graduate. (The Logic, The Wall Street Journal)

Talking point: The massive scale of data-centre building across North America is placing a major strain on trades workers, such as electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians. The demand has triggered a race for a new kind of talent among Big Tech companies that, just a few years ago, were competing for computer scientists and software developers. In Canada—where the federal government’s broad agenda centres on building physical infrastructure, such as pipelines, housing and ships—the shortage of skilled trades workers is expected to hit 1.4 million by 2033. Meta’s new program comes a few weeks after the company laid off 8,000 employees to help pay for its AI ambitions.