Across the country, the demand for data centers is exploding. By 2030, companies will invest almost $7 trillion in capital expenditures on data center infrastructure. That is, if they can find workers to build them. Last week my colleague Ted Mondale and I returned from the Advancing Data Center Construction conference in Atlanta, and the picture is simultaneously inspiring and grim. Technological demand is driving an enormous amount of construction, but the industry simply doesn’t have enough workers to keep up. More than 400,000 new skilled construction workers are needed this year to meet demand. Nearly 60 percent of contractors report significant challenges in filling open positions. This creates a construction bottleneck that leads to project delays, escalates costs, and compromises safety and quality. Among these megaprojects, 98 percent of them experience cost overruns of more than 30 percent, and they are on average 20 months behind schedule. The industry has no plan to deal with this. Fortunately, we do. OIC of America is building a nationwide training network to meet the needs of the construction industry. By bringing together industry partners, training partners, community networks and STEM educators, we are assembling a workforce development system that will train 100,000 people a year by 2030. With eight to 24 weeks of no-cost, credentialed training, and a focus on retention and post-graduation success, we are building the infrastructure to meet the workforce needs of the construction industry. It’s national, it’s modern, and it’s efficient. Demand, meet supply. Louis J. King II President and CEO OIC of America, Inc. |
Twin Cities STEM Network Officially Launches at the University of Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS — Educators, employers and community leaders gathered last month at the University of Minnesota to celebrate the official launch of the Twin Cities STEM Network, an initiative dedicated to building equitable pathways into high-demand STEM careers, and growing the pipeline of interested students.
Co-hosted by OIC of America and the Institute for Engineering in Medicine (IEM) at the University of Minnesota, the launch event convened cross-sector partners committed to expanding access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and workforce opportunities.
The Twin Cities STEM Network will serve as a collaborative platform to align industry, education and community organizations, ensuring that youth in both urban and rural communities have the resources, mentorship and connections needed to thrive.
OIC of America extends its sincere gratitude to all who joined this important milestone event and to the partners who continue to champion access to STEM opportunities.
To learn more about the Twin Cities STEM Network and ways to get involved, visit https://oicofamerica.org/twincitiesstem
Louis J. King II Brings OICA’s Workforce Future-Proofing Mission to Congressional Black Caucus
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In September, OIC of America President and CEO Louis J. King II joined a historic panel convened by U.S. Rep. Danny Davis at the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C.
“Transforming Reentry: Equity, Opportunity and the Road Ahead” included Illinois State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford; Dara Basley, director of health equity for the Access Community Health Network; Joseph Mapp, director of reentry for the City of Chicago; Cynthia W. Roseberry, director of policy and government affairs from the ACLU Justice Division; Victor B. Dickson, president and CEO of Safer Foundation, a Sullivan Training Network partner; Monica Gordon, Cook County, Ill., clerk; and Teresa Hodge, co-founder of Mission: Launch.
“When you examine history, you see our country is currently facing its third dire labor shortage,” said King. “The first one brought us here as unwilling immigrants, while the second brought about the Great Migration, the 20th-century movement of 6 million African Americans from the rural South to the urban North, Midwest and West.
“Today’s labor shortage is just as acute, and it’s getting worse. The skilled trades are screaming for people—this year and next year alone, our country needs nearly a million new construction workers.”
See more photos from Congressional Black Caucus here.
PHILADELPHIA — Last month OIC of America convened more than two dozen faith leaders at Philadelphia’s Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church to discuss how the Delaware Valley Alliance is a blueprint for an economic model that addresses the systemic barriers that keep people—especially those in poverty and in the justice system—from fully participating in today’s economy.
The conversation, hosted by Rev. Dr. Alyn Waller and which included Rev. Dr. C. Jay Matthews of Cleveland, explored ways that communities of faith can work together to set a regional economic agenda. Next steps for the group include spreading word about the Delaware Valley Alliance, contacting federal legislators to support the LEON Act, and bringing students to STEM events, including this week’s Philadelphia STEM Saturday at Antonia Pantoja Charter School.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — OIC of America was honored to participate in COABE’s Adult Education Legislative Briefing at the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. This important event brought together policymakers, staffers and partners to explore the latest trends, critical data and inspiring success stories—underscoring adult education as a vital talent pipeline that helps individuals move from poverty to family-sustaining careers while strengthening our workforce and economy.
The briefing featured a dynamic panel of workforce leaders, program directors, representatives from the trades, and an adult learner. Among them was Oklahoma OIC alum Kendric Marshall, who shared his powerful journey as a testament to how adult education transforms lives and drives economic mobility.
OIC of America is proud to represent our national network and to amplify a clear message: adult education fuels opportunity, growth and stronger communities.
Hear more from Marshall here.
Last week OIC of America announced the appointment of Robert Deutsch, Bonita Lucky and Kathy Tunheim to the organization’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Deutsch is a seasoned financial services executive and former managing director with more than 30 years of experience in trading, equity derivatives and risk management at CIBC, Nomura, and Kidder Peabody.
Ms. Lucky leads C.H. Robinson’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, driving progress toward a more inclusive culture and building a workforce that reflects a wide range of perspectives and experiences.
Ms. Tunheim co-founded Tunheim in 1990 and has served as chief executive officer throughout the firm’s evolution while maintaining an active role in many of the agency’s client relationships.
“We feel tremendously fortunate to bring Robert’s, Bonita’s and Kathy’s respective expertise onto the OIC of America Board at this pivotal moment in the organization’s growth and the build-out of our national workforce development system,” said Louis J. King II, OIC of America’s president and CEO. “With the addition of these three leaders in their fields, we expect to turbo-charge our efforts to train 100,000 people a year by 2030.”
Read more about them here.
PHILADELPHIA — During its August One OIC convening, OIC of America hosted a forward-looking presentation on AI education and adoption for businesses led by Josh Sullivan, an artificial intelligence consultant at Kiingo AI. The session marked the organization’s first significant step toward integrating AI awareness and strategy into its network of workforce development initiatives.
Sullivan, whose firm has guided companies with revenues ranging from $2 million to $1 billion in crafting and implementing AI strategies, broke down what artificial intelligence is and how it works. “AI is about creating machines that can perform tasks that humans would normally do,” he explained, citing examples such as computer vision and natural language understanding.
OIC of America, which serves communities nationwide through workforce training, sees AI as a significant force shaping the future of work. By hosting sessions like this, the organization aims to help its partners, affiliates and stakeholders become better informed about the technology and how it might enhance operations, service, productivity and delivery.
In order to effectively future-proof the workforce, the trainers themselves—in addition to the trainees—need to be well versed in AI and its potential.
WILSON, N.C. — After a brief pause for renovations from February to July, OIC Wilson, Inc. came back stronger than ever, ensuring students still felt supported during the closure. The affiliate pulled up in vans and visited students door-to-door — over 100 students were personally checked on — to let them know they could still count on OIC.
From partnering with Wilson Community College to engaging directly in neighborhoods, the organization maintained a strong presence and continued its mission to equip students with real-world skills and career pathways.
“Being in the community, shoulder to shoulder with students, is what this work is all about,” said Dustin Mooring of OIC of Wilson. “When students see us showing up for them, it builds trust and creates momentum. I want to give credit to the team here in Wilson — they deserve praise for the success we’re seeing.”
