SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – We live in the AI world and it’s taking over many facets of life including certain jobs. It’s having effect on some blue-collar jobs and opening a pathway to more demand like electricians.
"It all boils down to like me taking a leap of faith,” Shawn Barton said.
It's never too late to start something new or learn something new — that's what Barton is doing in some of the classrooms at the Electrical Training Institute of San Diego & Imperial Counties.
"Walking out with not only one but two state certifications where I can take my knowledge here and work anywhere internationally with our brotherhood is a pretty cool opportunity,” said Barton, a four-tear apprenticeship student
Barton, who is in the joint labor-management apprenticeship program at the Institute, added, "This next big boom l feel should be with the trades."
"We're taking in record numbers, both at the union hall and at the apprenticeship. So huge demand for electricians right now in San Diego,” Jeremy Abrams from the IBEW 569 said.
Abram is with the IBEW 569, the local union that owns and operates the institute with the National Electrical Contractors Association. He told ABC 10News they see more people applying to learn the trade here at the institute.
"With not only, renewable energy, solar battery storage projects, but with, data centers coming down the pipe,right? We have had more work right now than we have had in the local,” Abrams said.
Those data centers are the physical infrastructure of the digital world of the AI boom we're living in.
"We have to provide the energy. The energy that's required for these data centers, the battery storage that's required for the data storage. It’s all very physical,” Kevin Johnson, training director at Electrical Training Institute for San Diego & Imperial Counties, said. “There has to be skilled and trained electricians to do that installation. So, AI is absolutely impacting our future scope, the scope of jobs that we're actually seeing in the future."
Johnson told ABC 10News even before the AI advancement, people were joining the trade to get into the renewable energy industry.
"Now we're seeing a Gen Z come in understanding AI is going to be integrated into society more and more, but that infrastructure has to be built,” Johnson said. “So those skilled, trained electricians, that's a great opportunity to be part of that growth."
"Kids like right out of high school,18, 19, 20, they want to know how to get in the union, how to get in the union apprenticeship program,” Abrams said.
Given how AI is impacting white collar jobs, ABC 10News asked Abrams if that's a reason for more gen z applicants.
"I think maybe to some point. But they're also seeing an opportunity to get into a 5-year apprenticeship program, graduate and make 6 figures, and not have any student debt whatsoever,” Abrams said.
Those who graduated from the program said it's something they wish they had done years ago.
"If I would have known then what I know now,100%,I would have wished I would have taken advantage of the opportunities in the building trades,” Edward Williams, a journeyman inside wireman, said.
