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Blog | 4 min read
Powering data center investment in Central Virginia
June 3, 2026
Data centers are mission-critical infrastructure that sustains the digital systems driving today’s economy. From financial transactions to healthcare delivery and national security operations, these facilities enable the continuous flow of information that communities and businesses rely on. As regional demand for data continues to expand, the need for infrastructure capable of delivering consistent, uninterrupted performance has become increasingly essential.
Central Virginia is well positioned to support this continued expansion. The region offers the infrastructure, workforce and business environment necessary to attract and sustain investment, reinforcing its role as a competitive destination for global companies.
Leading companies are demonstrating that large-scale development and responsible community engagement can go hand in hand. As demand for mission-critical infrastructure grows, companies are investing not only in facilities but in the long-term success of the communities where they operate. Google’s $9 billion investment in Chesterfield County reflects this approach, combining long-term planning with a commitment to transparency and strong local partnerships. As Chesterfield County Board Chair Jim Ingle said in a Virginia Economic Development Partnership announcement, “Google’s decision to invest in Chesterfield County reflects the strength of our community and its reputation as a leader in technology and innovation.” This kind of collaboration helps ensure that the community and the data center operators benefit.
Often overlooked in the expansion of data centers are the positive impacts that they have on the workforce that builds and maintains the vital infrastructure we use every day. A recent Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) study found that Virginia’s data center sector supports approximately 74,000 jobs, generates $5.5 billion in labor income and contributes $9.1 billion annually to the state’s GDP. These figures reinforce the role data centers play as both economic drivers and essential infrastructure supporting sustained growth across Central Virginia and the broader Commonwealth.
For communities across the region, that growth is also creating meaningful opportunity. Charles Skelly, Business Manager of IBEW Local 666, highlights the connection between infrastructure investment and workforce impact.
“Data centers are not an abstract policy debate, they are real jobs, real careers and real opportunities for working families across the Commonwealth.”
Charles Skelly
Business Manage, IBEW Local 666
Workforce investment remains an important part of sustaining this growth. Google has supported a $10 million grant through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Electrical Training Alliance to strengthen electrical training programs nationwide. The initiative is designed to expand the pipeline of skilled workers entering the trades in the coming years.
Recent private-sector investments are reinforcing that workforce pipeline in Virginia. Rosendin, the nation’s largest employee-owned electrical contractor, recently announced a $14 million investment in a new Hanover County facility expected to create 250 jobs over the next three to five years. The project includes plans for a 5,000-square-foot training space designed to support electricians and connect middle, high school and trade students with career opportunities in the skilled trades.
Programs like these help ensure the workforce is prepared to meet the technical demands of modern facilities while creating clear pathways into long-term careers. Industry projections indicate that more than 300,000 additional electricians may be needed over the next decade to support growing AI and data center demand, especially as a significant portion of the existing workforce approaches retirement age. Through the Richmond Electricians’ Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (RJATC), affiliated with IBEW Local 666, apprenticeship programs typically span five years and require at least 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job training combined with classroom instruction before workers can earn journeyman status. Apprentices earn wages while they train, with pay structured as a percentage of the journeyman wage and increasing throughout the program. Current journeyman wireman wages through IBEW Local 666 are approximately $39 per hour, with a total compensation package valued at nearly $57 per hour, creating a pathway to stable, family-supporting careers tied to Virginia’s growing digital infrastructure economy.
“The infrastructure that powers the digital world has to be built and maintained right here in Virginia, by Virginia workers,” Skelly said.
The impact of data center investment extends well beyond construction. These facilities require ongoing support to maintain performance and reliability, creating sustained demand for skilled workers and reinforcing the long-term value of these careers.
As Central Virginia competes for major projects and global investment, data centers stand at the center of what makes that competition possible. The regions that lead in digital capacity will lead in innovation, job creation and long-term economic resilience. By continuing to establish itself as a welcoming environment for data center investment Central Virginia is positioning itself as an economic and workforce leader in the Commonwealth.
About The Author
As Vice President of Marketing + Communications, Michael directs GRP’s marketing, media relations, creative projects and technical needs. His award-winning work includes the “Greater Richmond: Come & Stay” video series and the “Richmond Region: A Visual Visit” coffee table book. Before joining the Partnership in 2007, he spent six-plus years in newspapers as News Editor at The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, earning multiple Virginia Press Association Awards for writing and design. He holds a bachelor’s in Mass Communications and a master’s in Integrated Communications, both from VCU. An award-winning filmmaker, Michael serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Production Alliance and resides in Chesterfield County with his wife and sons.
