Skilled trades now offer direct path to six-figure pay without college debt thanks to emerging tech industry
ASHBURN, Va. — Young Americans could be earning six-figure salaries without taking on college debt as the artificial intelligence boom fuels demand for skilled electricians, according to a veteran tradesman...
By Fox News · Fox News
ASHBURN, Va. — Young Americans could be earning six-figure salaries without taking on college debt as the artificial intelligence boom fuels demand for skilled electricians, according to a veteran tradesman who says he has never struggled to find work in his 26-year career. Andrew Miller, who raised six children while working in the trades, said the rapid expansion of data centers is creating lucrative opportunities for young workers seeking financial independence without a traditional four-year college degree. "You don't have the debt that you incur in college," Miller told Fox News Digital inside one of Northern Virginia's largest data centers. He also explained the one of the reasons why Northern Virginia is one of the wealthiest enclaves in the U.S. is "directly linked to data centers and data center development." Miller claimed areas that reject the data center boom — like California — are seeing wealth leave the state. AMERICA’S NEW BLUE-COLLAR JOB BOOM IS ONE NOBODY SAW COMING — AND IT’S JUST GETTING STARTED Miller said thanks to the explosion in the industry, electricians can earn six-figure salaries after completing their training, noting: "That is life changing to a 22, 23 year old individual." "They cannot produce enough electricians fast enough," he said. "I have never been without work in all my career even through recessions." While Miller acknowledged that the federal government's presence in Northern Virginia has historically helped sustain employment, he said the rapid expansion of data centers is expected to create even greater demand. "Now with data centers expanding it's going to just increase the demand for our trade," he said. Northern Virginia has earned the nickname "Data Center Alley" for its massive concentration of data centers, with Loudoun County at the heart of the nation's rapidly expanding AI infrastructure. As of March 2026, more than 230 data centers had been bui…