Metavesco Inc. announced the launch of Epic Labor AI, a specialized recruiting division focused exclusively on placing skilled tradespeople and technical personnel for AI data center construction, commissioning, and operations nationwide. The move addresses what industry leaders describe as the largest infrastructure buildout in modern history, where labor has emerged as the primary constraint despite hundreds of billions in committed investment from hyperscale technology companies. According to recent industry data, the United States will need approximately 300,000 new electricians over the next decade to support data center and electrification demand, while an additional 200,000 current electricians are expected to retire during the same period. Demand for HVAC engineers has surged 67% since late 2022, and construction workers on data center projects are earning approximately 32% more than those on standard commercial builds.
Epic Labor AI will recruit across two categories: construction trades including electricians, HVAC and cooling specialists, pipefitters, welders, and general construction labor; and technical personnel including GPU deployment technicians, fiber optic and structured cabling technicians, data center operations technicians, and controls specialists. The division will operate on a recruiting and placement fee model distinct from Epic Labor's traditional temporary staffing operations, generating revenue through direct-hire placement fees and contract-to-hire arrangements with general contractors, data center developers, hyperscale operators, and subcontractors. "The AI revolution requires a massive physical foundation, and right now America does not have enough skilled workers to build it," said Ryan Schadel, CEO of Metavesco. "With Epic Labor AI, we are applying that expertise, combined with AI-powered recruiting tools, to the most acute labor shortage in the market today." The division will leverage artificial intelligence tools for candidate sourcing, screening, and matching, extending Metavesco's previously announced AI-native operating model.
Electrical work alone accounts for an estimated 45% to 70% of total data center construction costs, according to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. A single hyperscale data center under construction can require between 50 and 100 electricians simultaneously, with peak construction crews often exceeding 1,500 workers across all trades. The GPU deployment technician category is among the fastest-growing roles in technology infrastructure, with firms deploying over 100,000 GPUs reporting networks of 1,000 or more field engineers. Epic Labor AI will initially target data center construction markets with the highest concentration of active and planned projects, including Northern Virginia, Texas, Iowa, Ohio, and Georgia markets. The launch represents a strategic response to infrastructure demands driven by artificial intelligence computing needs that have created unprecedented workforce challenges across multiple skilled trade categories.
