Meta, a tech giant, has announced the start of America’s Workforce Academy (AWA), a $115 million skilled trades initiative in Central Indiana. The academy will provide training for skilled tradespeople, including electricians, mechanics, and fiber technicians, to combat a nationwide shortage of workers capable of constructing AI infrastructure.

Local Partnership

The Boone County Economic Development Corporation (Boone EDC) has been tapped as the core local community partner to drive recruitment across Central Indiana. The physical training center will be located in Indianapolis, and the program is expected to begin training later this year.

The 4-to-5-week intensive bootcamp is fully funded by Meta, covering all tuition, travel, lodging, and a daily stipend for trainees. Upon completing the program, graduates will be immediately deployed to work on-site at Meta’s massive, rapidly expanding data center construction projects.

Industry Support

The initiative has drawn praise from major national figures, including Mike Rowe, CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, who has long campaigned against America’s widening skills gap. National Urban League President Marc H. Morial added that the program removes historic cost barriers that have kept marginalized communities out of high-tech trades, creating a more equitable and resilient workforce for the future.

Hoosiers interested in applying can learn more and register at Meta.com/AmericasWorkforceAcademy.

Original reporting: 93.1 WIBC (Indianapolis) — read the source article.