Indiana’s electrical worker pipeline is getting a $400,000 boost from Google.org – support that should increase training capacity for about 500 additional apprentices within five years, the electrical training ALLIANCE announced Thursday.

The money will benefit Indiana Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees managed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and National Electrical Contractors Association, including the Fort Wayne Electrical JATC, a news release said.

The electrical union and trade association created the alliance, also known as etA.

Along with increasing apprentices, the organization will use the money to integrate artificial intelligence tools into its curriculum, the release said. Apprentices will also have access to Google’s AI Essentials course to sharpen their AI skills.

Google.org is Google’s philanthropic arm. Its website states it supports teaching, learning and career readiness through digital skills and access to technology.

“This investment not only creates family-sustaining career opportunities but also ensures a strong pipeline of highly skilled electricians prepared to meet the demands of a rapidly changing and growing industry,” Ken Cooper, IBEW International president, said in a statement.

The state’s projected pipeline of new electricians is anticipated to increase by 42%, bolstering efforts to address a worker shortage that could constrain the country’s ability to build infrastructure needed to support AI, advanced manufacturing and a shift to clean energy, the release said.

Google last year announced plans to invest $2 billion in a data center on Fort Wayne’s far east side. The long-range plans include up to nine data center buildings on an 892-acre site bordered by Adams Center and Tillman roads and the railroad corridor near New Haven.

Todd Stafford, etA executive director, described the collaboration between Google and his organization as a major investment in the workforce.

“But this effort is about more than numbers,” he said in a statement. “It’s about equipping the skilled professionals needed to modernize the grid and make the most of our existing infrastructure.”

Google.org is proud to be involved, said Maab Ibrahim, head of economic opportunity for the Americas.

“Supporting the skilled trades is vital for powering Indiana’s future, as demand surges for electricians, data centers and clean energy,” Ibrahim said in a statement.

The partnership should “tremendously boost” the Fort Wayne and Indianapolis Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees, said Samuel Lacher of the trade association’s central Indiana chapter. He added the benefits will go beyond opening doors for more people to build careers in the electrical trade.

“Just as important,” he said in a statement, “the focus on leadership development will ensure younger apprentices advance quickly into leadership roles and be fully prepared to lead large scale projects and teams with confidence and skill.”

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