Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says that the United States will need hundreds of thousands of skilled trade workers to help build the infrastructure required for the country’s AI ambitions. As part of that effort, the social media giant has launched America’s Workforce Academy (AWA), a new initiative aimed at providing free training and direct pathways to jobs in skilled trades. Announcing the initiative, the company said: “Meta is proud to be partnering with the National Urban League, the Associated Builders and Contractors, and CBRE, as well as community partners across the country including, the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, STRIVE, Boone County Economic Development Corporation (IN), Richland Parish Chamber of Commerce (LA), Workforce Solutions Borderplex (TX), and Ohio Chamber of Commerce (OH)”.Stating that the US labor market needs hundreds of thousands of fiber technicians, welders, plumbers, electricians and other skilled trade worker, Meta said that it is “launching America’s Workforce Academy (AWA) to build upon the huge demand we saw for Meta’s first major initiative of this kind, Level-Up, Meta’s fiber installation training program that received 35,000 applications in the first seven days”.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shares post on Facebook
In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg said the growth of AI will create significant demand for trade workers across the country. He wrote:“America is going to need hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople to build the infrastructure for our country to lead in AI.People need access to the education and opportunity to secure these jobs. We believe the future is for everyone.Today, we’re launching America’s Workforce Academy with academic and workforce partners to provide free training and direct pathways to jobs building this infrastructure.We want to deliver personal superintelligence for everyone — and we want as many people as possible to help build that future with us.”
