Many datacenters of this scale do actually have a lot of staff. Just not always "high paid". Most of them employ a full maintenance department that includes electricians, plumbers, etc (all on-call). Then there are the "Rack monkeys" that run cables, power, etc to racks. There are also the on-call "remote hands" guys running around (if this is a co-lo dc) to swap hardware/drives/etc at any time of the day or night. All of these facilities are also taxed on purchases they make in the state as well.
There are some "lights out" DC's and there is where a lot of things are going but for now many of them employ a lot more people than you think they do.
Of all the ones I colocated in, large and small, mind you a few years ago, all those services were contracted in, not staff.
Maintence budgets are easier than salary budgets+payroll+taxes+withholdong+insurance+on and on.
I suppose that makes sense for some of them. I had gear in a few (didn't work at the DC) but that one had everyone as direct hire on-site. It had some very, very specific requirements because of a bunch of government contracts so everyone had to be citizens, direct hire, no contracts, needed to pass background checks, etc.
Hell, I had to go through a background check just to be allowed into the facility to install the gear. They didn't even let you take your access badge with you. You had to call ahead to schedule time on-site. Get buzzed in. "Checked" (security checkpoint) then "check-out" your badge so you could go in and out of the DC if you needed to use a bathroom or something. Then you had to turn your badge back in and get "Checked" again on the way out to make sure you didn't take anything with you that was not on the pre-supplied list for the visit. It was very strict.
That happens at colo that have gov shit in them…. Or when they are real nee they “hire” for the first 12mo to meet the “local employee hire requirement”
Just saw Texas is contemplating giving journeyman electrical for class time. 1000 hrs for some course to speed ramp more guys.
Fools errand because you can’t lear what’s really needed without hands on if you ask me.
I have likely 4000-5000 hours over the last 30 years, but the guys I worked for/with all are gone, and that’s before the electronic reporting.
I feel confident I could knock it out in most cases on experience alone. But would still want a journeyman to be with me in a data center. Houses and standard commercial, not an issue, but dc’s, gov projects, and big power I don’t need it.