The company referred to the program as the largest private-sector commitment to skilled-trades training with a job guarantee in the country’s history and will be available in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas later this year. Participants will earn National Center for Construction Education and Research credentials.

It is a crucial time for companies like Meta as data centre construction is taking off to address growing demand for AI and the infrastructure that supports it. This is subsequently placing additional demand on an already strained skilled talent pool. Demand for electricians, welders, fiber technicians, plumbers, and other skilled trades is at an all-time high, while talent pipelines are running dry.

“The AI infrastructure we’re building today requires an incredible workforce to make it a reality,” Rachel Peterson, Meta Vice President of data centres, said in the release. “America needs hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople—electricians, mechanics, fiber technicians and more—and this program creates clear, accessible pathways into those careers.”

Meta has partnered with the Associated Builders and Contractors to deliver training through its own network of education facilities. Studies include site safety, hand and power tools, construction math, and building fundamentals prior to craft-specific training. After the coursework is complete, participants can continue into specialized training programs in electrical, mechanical, and piping trades with the promise of employment on the other end, which makes the program especially unique given the ability to fast-track individuals to a long-term career in the trades.

Once the application process is complete and background checks and drug screenings come back clean, those who meet the training requirements will be eligible for jobs on Meta data centre projects through contract partners.

Meta isn’t the only company taking this route. Google, too, has pledged $50 million for skilled trades training. The financial commitment will support 14 labour unions and four trade and contractor associations, with the goal of reaching 300,000 workers across 20 states. By improving training and outreach, Google hopes to better educate the new cohort of workers to be able to meet the growing demand for skilled labour on construction projects like data centres, by using construction industry partners to close the gap.

Unlike Meta, Google seeks to get people interested in the trades “no matter where they want to work,” Maggie Johnson, global head of Google.org, wrote in the announcement, but either way, both are good examples of private entities doing their part to address the ongoing shortage of skilled workers.

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While Canada has been selected to host the multinational bank, which provides long-term, low-cost financing for defence projects of NATO members and its allies, the exact location has yet to be determined, though the Ontario government claims to have already secured a location for the bank’s headquarters in Toronto. Martin Leblanc, co-founder at Sid Lee Architecture, said the tower project had already been finalized, but what was supposed to be a hotel could have several floors repurposed to accommodate the bank. The project is estimated to cost $200 million, with construction to be completed in 36 months.

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According to CEO John Fish, cost increases and continued labour woes require new solutions, which he hopes to overcome through the initiative. The AI engineers will sit in on project meetings where they can contribute solutions in three core areas: design, schedule, and process. The program builds on Suffolk’s ongoing investments in data and technology.

“We believe Jobsite of the Future and our use of artificial intelligence and data will fundamentally change that trajectory and redefine how America builds for generations to come,” Fish said in the news release.

The program has enabled design review tools that identify drawing conflicts and coordination gaps prior to construction, in addition to an AI-powered procurement and delivery tracking system that optimizes supply chain operations as well as other process improvements.

Jobsite of the Future has enabled Suffolk to build and pilot an AI-powered requisition process for monthly payment applications, which helps to reduce delays caused by missing documentation, approval bottlenecks, and repetition.

Data is an important piece of the puzzle, and from a data collection standpoint, Suffolk has approximately 293 terabytes of structured construction data, the equivalent of roughly 75 billion pages of PDFs which inform decisions and help it deliver projects with greater predictability.

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Amazon worked with Ameren Missouri, the local utility provider, to ensure the project bears the full cost of connecting to the electrical grid, and has plans to contribute more than $7 million to the community as part of the investment, including $3 million toward public safety infrastructure and the previously mentioned infrastructure improvements.

Amazon will also sponsor the Mongomery County Fair with $1 million to build a new large-scale community gathering space at the fairgrounds, and an additional $3 million will be invested in community programs focused on STEM education, skills development, sustainability, and support for local nonprofit organizations.

“Projects like this create lasting benefits for local communities by supporting critical infrastructure improvements, generating tax revenue for schools and public services, and strengthening the foundation for future economic growth,” said Governor Kehoe in the release.

“Amazon’s announcement in Montgomery County is a testament to what can be accomplished through strong collaboration and a shared commitment to growth,” said Michelle Hataway, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, in the release. “This project will help strengthen the region’s capacity for future development while reinforcing Missouri’s position as a destination for innovation and investment.”

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During a recent meeting with labour ministers in Quebec City, Executive Director Sean Strickland emphasized that individual provincial management of safety programs leads to delays and increased costs, reminding ministers of the commitment they made last year to review safety training nationwide in Fall 2026, with the end goal of a harmonized framework.

The initiative has been deemed crucial for enhancing worker safety and productivity as well as ensuring that training received in one region is recognized across all jurisdictions, particularly at a time when the nation has ambitious infrastructure plans.

“We all know that in the current economic and geopolitical context, Canada needs to build a more diverse, resilient and efficient economy,” Strickland said. “Governments, private and public sector organizations, and unions: we all bear part of the responsibility for driving this progress forward. As a result, worker safety will be improved and training received in one region will automatically be recognized in all other jurisdictions, at the highest standard, improving both safety and productivity.”

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“The construction industry must immediately address three critical challenges, with the first being the urgent shortage of skilled labor across nearly every trade,” said Joseph Vig, CEO of JS Vig Construction Company in Metro Detroit. “Second is the need to integrate AI into a seamless, collaborative process of design-permitting-construction. And the third is the demand for smart building systems and technicians who can improve the performance, data intelligence and adaptability of the built environment.”

The program, which is offered by the Tishman Construction Management Program (TCMP) through the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, will support students who have completed their undergraduate studies as well as seasoned industry professionals who have an interest in architecture, engineering, and construction.

The online program will complement the existing residential Master of Science and Engineering degree in construction and engineering management, which was been offered since 1954, notably the first of its kind in the United States.

Students on a full-time schedule can complete the degree in eight months, whereas it will take part-time students up to five years to complete the 26-credit online program. They also have the option of starting with the program’s stackable online Construction Engineering & Management certificate, which allows them to complete up to six credits before formally applying to the master’s program. Once completed, those credits can count toward the degree, saving student both time and money.

Applications for the Fall 2026 term close on June 15.

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40 professionals aged 40 and under will be honoured for their work influencing projects, teams, and processes—from jobsites and fabrication floors to engineering and design—at the only event where the metal construction industry comes together to make decisions, build partnerships, and shape what’s next.

“The program spotlights professionals who are already making an impact across the metal construction industry while also representing its next generation of leadership,” said Judy Geller, Vice President of Trade Shows for PSMJ Resources, Inc., producers of METALCON. “These are individuals driving projects forward, improving how work gets done and helping shape where the industry is headed.”

Nominations are now open and can be submitted via the online nomination form by the July 21, 2026 deadline. Honourees will be selected by a cross-industry panel based on achievement, leadership, innovation, and overall impact.

“As METALCON marks its 35^th anniversary, this program is about elevating the people who are actively shaping the industry’s direction,” continued Geller. “40 Under 40 puts their work—and their impact—front and center where the industry comes together.”

Selected honourees will receive industry-wide recognition, including a featured profile on METALCON.com, promotion through email, social media, and trade publications, and recognition onsite at METALCON 2026, taking place October 7–9, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Honourees will also be invited to a Future Leaders networking reception.

Eligible nominees must be 40 years of age or younger and actively working in or contributing to the metal construction industry. Candidates may be nominated by peers, managers, employees, or other industry professionals, or may self-nominate with an external reference.

The program aims to elevate the professionals who are driving innovation, improving processes, and leading teams across the industry today—those helping define how the industry continues to evolve.

Honourees will be announced in September and formally recognized during METALCON 2026. For more information or to complete a nomination form, visit www.metalcon.com.

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Crude petroleum increased 11.3 percent, unprocessed energy materials were up 9.2 percent, and natural gas prices were up 4.9 percent for the month.

“Construction input prices surged again in April,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Input prices have now risen more during the first four months of 2026 (6.2%) than over the prior three years (4.8%). While much of the recent rise can be traced to soaring oil prices, escalation was widespread in April, with tariff-affected materials like iron and steel posting particularly large price increases.

“In addition to the direct impact of this reemerging materials price escalation, too-hot inflation data coupled with upbeat labor market indicators suggest that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to cut rates this year,” said Basu. “While contractors remain busy, according to ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator, these cost pressures will likely weigh on construction activity over the coming months.”

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