A Letter From our CEO on the the Meta-ABC Partnership Announcement

June 23, 2026

Months in the Making. Now We Can Tell You About the Meta-ABC Partnership

► Meta invests $115 million in construction workforce development.
► Train free. Earn credentials. Get hired.
► Start your training locally, at our ABCI facilities.

A Letter from Peter Dyga, CAE, IOM
President & CEO

Several months ago, a small group of chapter presidents and I were approached by ABC National President and CEO Mike Bellaman regarding what has become a historic, first-of-its-kind workforce development partnership. Because we were operating under a nondisclosure agreement, we were unable to share details until the initiative was officially announced on June 8.

Meta President and Vice Chair Dina Powell McCormick and Mike Rowe joined the full ABC National Board of Directors to provide additional details on America’s Workforce Academy, a new partnership among Meta, ABC, CBRE, and community partners designed to create construction-ready career pathways for the next generation of skilled trade professionals.

A handful of chapters, including ours, were originally selected based on Meta’s location priorities for the 2026 pilot launch. The initiative includes an initial first-year investment of $115 million, a cost-free five-week training program, support for qualified participants through scholarships, travel, housing, and living stipends, industry-recognized NCCER credentials, and a job opportunity for graduates on Meta-related projects. This represents a meaningful opportunity to help address workforce shortages while creating accessible pathways into long-term careers in construction and the skilled trades.

New Meta-ABC Partnership Creates Career Pathways for Data Center Construction Workers

The program is structured in two parts. The first is a one-week introductory program that will be conducted at our new Hialeah Training Center. This full-time daytime course will include drug and background screening, OSHA 10, and a foundational introduction to construction. Participants who successfully complete this initial week will be offered a full, all-expenses-paid scholarship to continue into the final four-week training program at one of four locations: Baton Rouge, Houston, Indianapolis or Columbus. Graduates will receive a guaranteed job offer with a Meta contractor.

This partnership is historic for several reasons, including the unprecedented level of private-sector investment, the direct connection to employment, and the central role ABC chapters will play in delivering both the one-week and four-week training components.

This partnership is another strong example of ABC’s leadership in advancing our industry and expanding workforce development opportunities in a meaningful and lasting way.

► Click here to learn more about America’s Workforce Academy and to enroll in the program.

► Click here to download the ABC talking points on this new partnership and program.

Peter Dyga