Lebanon, Ind. – The Boone County Economic Development Corporation is thrilled to announce it has been selected as an Indiana community partner for America’s Workforce Academy, a new national skilled trades training initiative launched by Meta.
America’s Workforce Academy is a first-of-its-kind workforce initiative designed to create fast, accessible pathways into long-term careers in the skilled trades. The program is supported by Meta’s initial $115 million first-year investment and will launch in 2026 pilot locations in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas.
Through this partnership, Boone EDC will support Meta’s America’s Workforce Academy by helping connect Boone County and Central Indiana stakeholders to information about the initiative and its potential workforce opportunities.
“We are thrilled Boone EDC was chosen as a community partner for Meta’s America’s Workforce Academy,” said Andrea Kern, CEO of Boone EDC. “This pilot initiative has the potential to open doors for people across Boone County and Central Indiana who are looking for a clear, accessible pathway into stable, high-demand careers. We’re proud to support a partnership that invests in people, strengthens the skilled trades, and helps prepare our region for the opportunities ahead.”
The program is designed to support participants at no cost while they train and to connect successful graduates with employment opportunities through Meta contractor partners. Participants will receive five weeks of curriculum delivered by training partners at centers across the country, with instruction focused on general orientation, safety, basic construction knowledge, and exposure to systems commonly found in data center construction, including electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and fiber connectivity systems.
Graduates will earn both the industry-recognized National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) credential and an America’s Workforce Certificate, both designed to travel with the worker across employers and industry sectors. Skills gained through the program are intended to be portable across construction, energy, infrastructure, and related sectors projected to see continued demand in the years ahead.
Meta is partnering with the National Urban League, Associated Builders and Contractors, CBRE, and community partners across the country, including Boone County Economic Development Corporation in Indiana.
For Boone EDC, the partnership directly aligns with the organization’s broader strategic focus on workforce development, employer competitiveness, infrastructure readiness, and regional economic opportunity. As Boone County and Central Indiana continue to experience significant growth and investment, the need for skilled workers in construction, energy, utilities, advanced infrastructure, and related trades has become increasingly urgent.
Rachel Peterson, Vice President, Data Centers, Meta, said: “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.”
America’s Workforce Academy will be open to applicants from all 50 states and is designed for veterans and transitioning service members, career changers, individuals from all educational backgrounds, and new entrants to the construction trades. No prior trade experience is required.
The Indiana pilot training location will be in Indianapolis.
More information about America’s Workforce Academy and application details will be available through Meta and its program partners.