The electrician shortage is real: 10,000 retire each year, only 7,000 enter. Siemens Foundation CEO David Etzwiler is building a $9.25M solution.
Meanwhile, 130,000 new electrical jobs are coming online in the next decade — driven by AI, data centers, and hyperscaler buildouts. The gap between demand and supply is accelerating.
Yet most people still think of the trades as a backup plan, not a first choice. David Etzwiler is the CEO of the Siemens Foundation, the corporate philanthropic arm of Siemens USA.
He leads Careers Electric, a $9.25 million workforce initiative in North Carolina that is building a multi-lane highway from middle school to employer — with real training, real wages, and real career paths in the electrical trades. In this episode, Andrew and David dig into the data center boom, why the 30-to-90-day retention window is where most employers lose new workers, and why mentorship isn't just good practice — it's the only thing that makes apprenticeship actually work.
If you're in the trades, work with tradespeople, or want to steer someone toward a high-paying career without a four-year degree, this one is for you.
Key Takeaways.
01
The U.S. electrical trades are already short-staffed — 10,000 electricians retire each year while only 7,000 enter the field, and 130,000 new electrical jobs are expected in the next decade driven by AI data centers and grid buildouts.
02
The Siemens Foundation's Careers Electric initiative is investing $9.25 million in North Carolina to build a standardized, sector-based training pipeline from middle school through community college to employer, with a goal of 25,000 trained workers over 10 years.
03
Retention in the trades is most fragile in the first 30 to 90 days — employers who help new workers understand expectations before day one, pair them with patient mentors, and pay competitive wages dramatically improve long-term retention.
04
Apprenticeship teaches the trade, but mentorship builds the tradesperson — the most consistent factor in whether someone stays and thrives in a skilled trade is a mentor who is genuinely invested in their success, not just their productivity.
Meet David Etzwiler.
David Etzwiler is the CEO of the Siemens Foundation, the corporate philanthropic arm of Siemens USA. He has led the Foundation's workforce, health, and sustainability initiatives since 2013.
Prior to Siemens, David served as Vice President of Community Affairs and Executive Director of the Medtronic Foundation, where he grew annual giving from $6.5 million to $31.6 million. He holds a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and a Master of Public Policy from The Claremont Graduate University.
David leads Careers Electric, a $9.25 million sector-based workforce initiative in North Carolina building a multi-lane training pathway from middle school to employer in the electrical trades — with plans to scale the model nationally, state by state.
