Artificial intelligence isn’t just the latest trend. This innovative technology has become an integral part of the processes that make up our everyday lives. However, a rise in AI usage means an increased demand for infrastructure that can store, process and manage the data.

Southeastern Wisconsin is emerging as a leader in data center development for two key reasons: a strategic location and a skilled workforce. 

Building Advantage, a labor-management association for the commercial union construction industry, has a front row seat to the hard work that moves a data center project from vision to reality. 

“Data centers are having a huge and profound positive impact on our contractors, workforce and the entire community,” said Building Advantage Executive Director Chris Mambu Rasch. 

In May 2024, Microsoft announced a $3.3 billion investment plan for a state-of-the-art data center campus in Mount Pleasant. Last September, the company deepened its commitment to the region with an additional $4 billion investment that will fund phase two of campus development.  

“Microsoft is a 100% union construction project,” said Rasch.  

The Microsoft project yielded over 3,000 trades jobs during the peak months of phase one of construction. Phase two is expected to match this figure. 

In October 2025, Vantage Data Centers, in partnership with technology companies Oracle and OpenAI, announced plans to develop a Port Washington data center campus. According to Vantage officials, the project is projected to create upwards of 4,000 jobs, with a pledge to partner and use union construction workers to the fullest extent. 

“If there is anyone interested in starting a career in union construction or making the switch to union construction, we, in all likelihood, will have a good spot for you for a long time moving forward,” said Rasch. 

Union workers and contractors are offered high wages, overtime opportunities and a pension, all benefits that positively impact the life of the worker and those they support. The scale of each campus project also allows for an increase in hiring, Building Advantage’s industry partners to continue to develop a skilled and diverse workforce through apprenticeships. 

“[Data center projects] allow our industry to invest in the future in a more robust way and open the doors to these great jobs

in the trades to more people…” said Rasch. 

Rasch noted that each project is an opportunity for industry collaboration and joint ventures. By working together on the development of each data center campus, several contractors can participate in the job while still servicing their other clients.  

“That nimbleness is really important to their success, their growth as well as their stability,” said Rasch.  

Rasch anticipates that union workers and contractors will continue to play a key role on each campus, even after construction is complete. 

“There’s a decade’s worth of work for our industry, building these data centers and the ancillary infrastructure around them needed to support them,” he said. “There are all sorts of compounding positive impacts on the union construction industry and our communities.” 

To learn more about Building Advantage, visit: https://buildingadvantage.org/