Energy Job Shop Reports Rising Data-Center Interest Among 3.48 Million Users

Among 3.48 million active users, data-center interest accelerated in 2026 as per diem and paid-travel postings dominated the most-viewed opportunities.

EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA, September 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Data centers are beginning to recruit skilled-trades workers with a familiar playbook: per diem, paid travel and project-based work.

New first-party data from Energy Job Shop shows that pattern emerging alongside a sharp increase in interest in data-center jobs during 2026.

From September 21, 2025 through September 20, 2026, 3.48 million active users generated nearly 17.9 million job and content views across Energy Job Shop and within that audience, 18,954 users generated 29,107 views of data-center-related jobs and content.

Data-center views increased 132% from May to June, while overall Energy Job Shop traffic was essentially flat. Through September 20, data-center pages generated another 6,296 views and reached their highest share of total site traffic during the 12-month period.

The jobs getting the most attention also showed a remarkably consistent recruiting model.

Nine job listings appeared among the ten most-viewed data-center pages, and all nine advertised per diem, paid travel or both. Together, those listings generated 20,414 views, more than 70% of all measured data-center traffic.

The most-viewed opportunity advertised construction laborer positions with $200 per day in per diem. Other leading jobs included electricians, safety professionals, warehouse workers, equipment operators, pipefitters, pipelayers, carpenters, rig work and millwrights.

“AI gets talked about as a software, chip and power story, but somebody still has to build all of this infrastructure,” said Andrew Forster, Partner and Co-Founder of Energy Job Shop. “What caught our attention is how familiar the recruiting model looks. Per diem, paid travel, overtime and project work are already part of the language of oilfield and industrial workers. We’re not saying those workers are suddenly leaving one industry for another, but data centers are clearly becoming another option in that travel-work ecosystem.”

Texas produced the largest audience in Energy Job Shop’s data-center analysis, with 5,498 active users. Houston led identified cities with 1,177 users. Google Analytics location data reflects where users accessed Energy Job Shop, not where they intended to work.

The trend is developing alongside rapid investment in AI and data-center infrastructure. The International Energy Agency estimates global data-center electricity use at roughly 415 terawatt-hours in 2024 and projects it to more than double to about 945 TWh by 2030. U.S. data-center electricity consumption is projected to increase roughly 130% over the same period.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics now specifically identifies AI and data-center growth as contributors to rising electricity demand and future electrician opportunities. It projects electrician employment to grow 9% from 2025 through 2035, with approximately 72,700 openings annually.

Energy Job Shop is also accepting applications for its 2027 Energy Job Shop Skilled Trades Scholarship, a $1,000 CAD annual award supporting students, apprentices, workers and career changers across Canada and the United States.

The full data-center skilled-trades analysis and methodology are available through Energy Job Shop.

Andrew Forster
Energy Job Shop
media@energyjobshop.com