As cranes fill the skyline and new projects move from planning to construction, we must remember what makes all of this possible. It is not just the concrete, steel, or technology. It is the skilled men and women who install, power, maintain, and modernize the electrical systems that keep Ohio running.
Whether constructing transmission lines, maintaining substations, operating advanced manufacturing facilities, or connecting new energy resources to the grid, IBEW members play a critical role in supporting the systems that Ohio families and employers depend on.
A wave of investment unlike anything Ohio has experienced in recent decades is driving this demand. New energy projects, semiconductor manufacturing facilities, and utility infrastructure
are creating opportunities across the state. Major projects like the Intel campus are already employing over 1,000 Building Trades workers, with that number expected to reach 1,600 by the end of this year. Ohio also added 8,100 new construction jobs over the last year, demonstrating both the scale of this growth and the benefits for working families.
But this growth also brings a serious challenge. Ninety-two percent of construction firms report having a hard time finding qualified workers, reinforcing the importance of continued recruitment, training and development for the next generation of tradespeople. The success of our state’s economic growth depends on ensuring we have the skilled and unionized workforce necessary to complete the work safely, reliably, and on time while supporting the manufacturing workforce that produces the equipment and technology energy projects rely on.
For too long, a narrow narrative suggested that a four-year university degree was the only reliable path to the American Dream. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and our partners across the Building Trades have long understood there is another proven route to the middle class. A career in the trades provides family-supporting wages, quality health care and retirement security. Through apprenticeship programs, workers earn while they learn, receiving world-class training without taking on substantial student debt.
For the IBEW, the need for skilled electrical workers has never been greater. Grid modernization, electric vehicle infrastructure, renewable energy generation, semiconductor manufacturing, battery storage, and transmission upgrades all require a highly trained electrical workforce. These investments also bolster Ohio’s energy manufacturing base, creating and growing opportunities for IBEW members. Meeting this demand will require sustained investment not only in projects, but in the people who build, connect, manufacture and maintain them.
That is why union apprenticeship matters so deeply. North America’s Building Trades Unions and their affiliates have built one of the most sophisticated workforce development systems in the country, combining classroom instruction, hands-on jobsite experience, safety training, and long-term career support. These programs do not just fill today’s jobs. They create durable career pathways and a pipeline of skilled workers ready to meet tomorrow’s infrastructure demands.
The rising demand for both infrastructure and labor requires bold partnerships that recognize the inherent value of union work. That is why the recent $100 million commitment from The BlackRock Foundation to support skilled trades training and workforce development is so significant. This investment reflects a growing recognition across the financial sector that a strong economy depends on a well-trained, well-supported workforce. It also reinforces the need to strengthen effective skilled trades programs and deliver them at scale, so the people building our future have the skills and support to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.
Recent investments in AES present a significant opportunity for our state’s energy sector. AES Ohio is a vital part of our infrastructure, serving over 500,000 customers and maintaining and operating thousands of transmission and distribution lines across Ohio. This transaction will support continued investment in grid modernization, system reliability, and, most importantly, the skilled workforce responsible for keeping the lights on across the state. Moreover, it will strengthen the broader ecosystem of manufacturing jobs that supply and sustain our energy infrastructure.
As this transition moves forward, it should reinforce the clear standard that long-term infrastructure investors should work with the best contractors and the best-trained workforce available. In the energy sector, that means respecting the value of unionized workers, maintaining strong labor standards, and ensuring that modernization, reliability, and customer service are supported by people who know the system, understand the safety requirements, and serve the communities that depend on them.
Strong communities are built on strong careers. That is why partnerships among labor, responsible contractors, utilities, investors, and workforce organizations matter so much. When companies invest in reliability and training, when investors recognize that infrastructure depends on skilled people as much as capital, and when NABTU, IBEW, NECA, and the Building Trades expand apprenticeship pathways, Ohio gains more than projects. We gain safer job sites, stronger communities, a more reliable grid, and careers that can support families for generations.
The next chapter of Ohio’s growth must be built by the workers who know how to do the job safely, responsibly, and right. With the right partnerships and continued commitments to skilled union labor, we can strengthen our infrastructure, expand opportunity, and power Ohio’s future.
Austin Keyser is international vice president of IBEW 4th District, representing nearly 80,000 electrical workers.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio's next big investment must be in skilled workers | Opinion
