AUSTIN, TX — Interplay Learning, a provider of immersive training for the skilled trades and industrial crafts, announced America’s Mission Critical Workforce, a national initiative formed as the industry struggles to find enough skilled workers to build, operate and maintain data centers across the United States.

The initiative is kicking off with a strategic alliance of industry employers and workforce development organizations, including Cengage, New American Industrial Alliance (NAIA) and YouthBuild as founding members committed to expanding training capacity across data center construction, operations and maintenance.

Data center job postings have more than doubled over the past two years, even as overall US job postings declined approximately 12%, according to a July 2026 analysis from Indeed Hiring Lab. Installation and maintenance roles now account for roughly one-quarter of data center job openings.

Data Center Growth Is Outpacing Workforce Training Capacity

The challenge extends beyond recruiting. The industry needs the capacity to prepare more people for these mission-critical roles. Limits on instructors, lab space and schedules restrict how many learners existing programs can serve.

The alliance’s first priority is to extend the reach of these programs with a digital onramp designed to help people anywhere in the country begin building job-relevant skills right away, while connecting employers with emerging talent sooner.

“Data centers do not run on computing power alone. They depend on skilled people who can build, operate and maintain complex infrastructure,” said Doug Donovan, CEO of Interplay Learning. “The industry is moving quickly, and workforce development has to keep pace. This alliance will connect employers and career readiness organizations with the technology that helps quality training reach more people, faster.”

Simulation-Based Training Can Expand the Skilled Trades Pipeline

Classroom instruction and on-the-job learning will remain essential to preparing America’s data center workforce. Innovative online learning, dynamic simulations, VR and AI-powered platforms give career-readiness organizations and employers another way to serve more learners without waitlists, accelerate throughput to the job site and support skill development from construction through operations and maintenance.

"For America to compete globally in AI, we need employer-driven workforce development to fill the roles that develop, build and run critical data infrastructure," said the New American Industrial Alliance. “We’re proud to partner with America’s Mission Critical Workforce in its efforts to equip workers with the vital skills of the future.”

“Employers across the country need more skilled talent, and the data center sector is one example of where that need is especially urgent,” said Justin Singh, President and General Manager of Cengage Work. “At Cengage, we’re focused on strengthening the connection between education and employment by expanding access to practical, job-ready training and creating more pathways into high-demand careers. We are excited to partner with Interplay Learning on this initiative to help more people enter the skilled trades and develop durable, transferable skills that can support them throughout their careers.”

Initiative Targets Construction Through Long-Term Facility Operations

Through America’s Mission Critical Workforce, the alliance will work together to:

• Identify priority data center roles and workforce needs across construction, operations and maintenance.
• Deliver a digital-first onramp that uses simulation-based learning to expand training capacity and reach people across the country.
• Give participating employers earlier access to emerging talent.
• Help more people prepare for durable careers supporting America’s growing digital infrastructure, providing transferable skills that start with construction roles and bridge into permanent operations and maintenance careers when data center builds are completed.

America’s Mission Critical Workforce is now accepting applications for alliance membership. Employers, data center operators, contractors, workforce development organizations, community colleges and other career-readiness organizations committed to addressing America’s labor shortage can apply at: www.interplaylearning.com/americas-mission-critical-workforce.