Meta and CBRE Launch Free Training to Address Critical Fiber Technician Shortage

A new training initiative aims to tackle a significant bottleneck in U.S. data center construction: a lack of qualified fiber technicians. Meta, in partnership with real estate services firm CBRE, is launching the LevelUp Fiber Technician Pathway. This free, four-week program is designed to create a pipeline of workers for the high-demand roles that install and maintain the fiber optic cabling essential for data centers and broader construction projects.

CBRE will operate the multi-year program, which combines classroom instruction with practical labs. Graduates will gain technical skills for immediate employment, with opportunities to work on Meta's U.S. construction sites through its contractor network. The initiative targets a wide range of candidates, from recent graduates to those seeking a mid-career shift.

"The AI revolution requires a workforce capable of building and maintaining the complex systems behind it," said Dina Powell McCormick, Meta's President and Vice Chairman. The company's ambitious infrastructure plans, which include 27 U.S. data centers either operating or under construction, depend on these skilled trades. Since 2010, Meta's data center projects have supported over 30,000 skilled trade construction jobs.

CBRE CEO Bob Sulentic noted the program expands the firms' existing partnership to develop a specialized workforce. Beyond immediate labor needs, the effort is framed as an investment in American technical training and community engagement. It joins other Meta initiatives, like its Data Center Community Action Grant Program.

The first training groups are scheduled to begin this summer.

Source: Facebook