Meta announced the launch of America’s Workforce Academy (AWA), a nationwide initiative to train workers for careers in the skilled trades through a cost-free program that guarantees employment for graduates. Backed by an initial first-year investment of $115 million, Meta said the program represents the largest private-sector commitment to skilled trades with a job guarantee in U.S. history.
The initiative will begin with pilot programs in Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, and Texas. Participants will receive support while completing training and will earn both the industry-recognized National Center for Construction Education and Research credential and an America’s Workforce Certificate, credentials designed to be transferable across employers and industries.
Meta said the new program builds on the strong demand for its earlier Level-Up fiber installation training initiative, which attracted 35,000 applications within its first week. The company believes the United States faces a significant shortage of skilled workers, including fiber technicians, electricians, welders, and plumbers, as investments in AI infrastructure and related industries accelerate.
The company is partnering with organizations including the National Urban League, Associated Builders and Contractors, and CBRE, as well as several community groups and chambers of commerce across the country. CBRE will oversee candidate recruitment and training management, while Associated Builders and Contractors will leverage its nationwide education network to help address workforce shortages.
Meta executives said the program reflects the company’s long-term commitment to developing the workforce needed to support the expansion of AI infrastructure. By removing tuition costs, providing paid training, and guaranteeing employment, the initiative aims to create new pathways to stable careers and reduce barriers to entry for underserved communities.
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“The AI revolution is bringing change but also historic opportunities. Skilled workers electrified rural America one pole at a time. They manned the factories that built the arsenal that won World War II. Now a new generation will pour the foundations and lay the fiber that secures American strength in this new age.”
Dina Powell McCormick, President and Vice Chairman of Meta
“Closing America’s skills gap requires us to not only make a more persuasive case for the skilled trades in general, it requires us to completely rethink the way we train the next generation of skilled workers. America’s Workforce Academy does both. Workers are actually paid to learn. There is zero cost to them, no college debt and a fast certification, with a guaranteed job on the other end. This is an important step in the right direction, and one that I hope other companies will be inspired to take.”
Mike Rowe, CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation
“America’s Workforce Academy represents the kind of bold, inclusive investment our economy urgently needs. At a time when too many Americans are searching for pathways to stable, family-supporting careers, this initiative opens doors, particularly for communities who historically have been excluded from opportunity. By removing cost barriers, providing industry-recognized credentials, and guaranteeing employment, AWA is helping to build a more equitable and resilient workforce for the future.”
Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League
“The AI infrastructure we’re building today requires an incredible workforce to make it a reality. America’s Workforce Academy is our commitment to building that workforce with the same ambition and long-term thinking we bring to the technology itself. America needs hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople, electricians, mechanics, fiber technicians and more, and this program creates clear, accessible pathways into those careers.”
Rachel Peterson, Vice President of Data Centers at Meta
“America’s Workforce Academy is a transformational endeavor creating incredible opportunities, and ABC is proud to partner with Meta and CBRE to welcome all who want to build their career dreams in construction. This innovative talent pipeline solution addresses the industry’s ongoing workforce shortage by utilizing ABC’s existing, proven, nationwide education ecosystem.”
Michael Bellaman, President and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors
“We are excited to serve as a key partner for Meta on the management of America’s Workforce Academy, from candidate intake and qualification to hands-on training, in collaboration with the Associated Builders and Contractors. In this role, we are leveraging the full scope and expertise of CBRE to recruit, train, and deploy thousands of skilled workers who will support Meta in building out their AI infrastructure.”
Bob Sulentic, Chair and CEO of CBRE
