TheJobWalk E.39

Welcome to this week’s edition of TheJobWalk! The Home Depot Foundation expands its training programs with a $10M boost, while Caterpillar & Hunt team up on new data center ventures. Meta flips the switch on its Kansas data center, Vantage unveils its colossal $25B Frontier campus, and Amazon builds a $750M “Bot Army” HQ. Meanwhile, FieldAI secures $400M+ to supercharge AI-driven construction. Let’s dive in!

NEWS
Home Depot Foundation Expands Training Programs with $10M

The Home Depot Foundation is investing $10 million in programs to help young people learn building trades like carpentry, electrical work, HVAC, and plumbing.

This includes a special $1 million partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. It's a two‑year pilot program in Atlanta, Phoenix, and Houston. More than 1,000 kids and teens will get chances to learn skills and even use them in real projects with Team Depot volunteers.

There is a big shortage of skilled construction workers; around 400,000 jobs are open now. This gap could cost the home building industry $10.8 billion because homes take longer to build and fewer are completed.

The money will also help more students through the Home Builders Institute, adding training for nearly 2,000 more high school students and 25 extra schools.

TheJobWalk’s got eyes on this too...

📰 Meta Data Center in Kansas Goes Live(META)
📰 Lowes to Acquire Foundation Building Materials (Lowes)
📰 Caterpillar & Hunt Sign Agreement for Data Centers (Caterpillar)
📰 John Fish, CEO of Suffolk Embraces Technology(Forbes)

PROJECTS
Build of The Week

$25Billion Vantage Data Center “Frontier” Campus

Vantage Data Centers has launched Frontier, a $25 billion hyperscale data center campus spanning 1,200 acres, their largest global investment yet. The complex will hold 10 data centers totaling 3.7 million sqft, delivering 1.4 GW of capacity.

Construction is underway, with the first building scheduled for delivery in late 2026. Frontier will also generate 5,000+ jobs and boost local economic development.

• Developer: Vantage Data Centers

• Investors: DigitalBridge & Silver Lake

• Sector: Data Centers

• Value: $25 Billion

• Location: Shackelford County, Texas

Movement in the field:

🌱$5B Georgia Plant Breaks Ground Soon: This month, Rivian announced they will be resuming construction on their 1,800-acre site in Stanton Springs, Georgia. The state-of-the-art manufacturing plant is planned to produce up to 400,000 vehicles annually once fully operational and deliver 7,500 full-time jobs by the end of 2030. Construction is set to resume in 2026, with vehicle production expected to commence by 2028.

Key Details: Client: Rivian, General Contractor: Clayco, Award: EV Plant, Value: $5 Billion, Location: Stanton Springs, Georgia

🤖Amazon’s $750M Bot Army HQ Is Under Construction: Amazon has begun to build its robotics manufacturing facility in Wilmington, North Carolina, and broke ground back in March 2025. This $750 million plant is expected to produce over 1,000 jobs and is said to generate millions in payroll and economic impact. The project is set to span over 650,000 sq ft. This all-new creative space aims to serve customers in the region and potentially improve delivery speeds. It marks a significant expansion for Amazon in North Carolina, where the company already has a considerable presence. The center is expected to be operating in 2026!

Key Details: Client: Amazon, General Contractors: NDA, Award: Manufacturing, Value: $750 Million, Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

🚆Full Steam Ahead, Rio Grande LNG Adds Train 4: NextDecade has secured up to $1.8 billion in equity from TotalEnergies and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) for Train 4 at its Rio Grande LNG terminal in Texas. The total value of the Train 4 expansion is estimated at $4.77B. The project is awaiting a final FERC approval, expected by November, after a favorable environmental review. Upon completion, Train 4 will raise the terminal's total output by 10.8 Mtpa, further solidifying U.S LNG export leadership.

Key Details: Client/Developer: NextDecade, General Contractor: Bechtel Corporation, Sector: LNG/Industrial, Value: $4.77 Billion, Location: Brownsville, Texas

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WORLD
Elizabeth Line, United Kingdom

The Elizabeth Line, originally known as Crossrail, is one of Europe’s largest infrastructure projects, built to expand London’s rail capacity. The £18.9 billion project created a 73-mile railway stretching from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. 

Construction began in 2009, with a complex mix of tunneling, station builds, and system integration handled by major contractors such as Balfour Beatty, Laing O’Rourke, Vinci, Skanska, and Costain, alongside specialized engineering teams. The project was managed by Crossrail Ltd, owned by Transport for London (TfL), with funding contributions from the UK government and the Greater London Authority.

Today, the Elizabeth Line is fully operational and serves as a vital commuter artery across London. It reduces congestion on the Underground, cuts journey times, and connects business hubs, airports, and suburbs. The line is expected to carry over 200 million passengers annually, boosting economic growth across the region.

TECH SPOTLIGHT
FieldAI Raises Over $400 Million to Power Smarter Robots

FieldAI has raised $405 million to build better robot “brains” that help machines work safely in real-world places. Their smart technology, called Field Foundation Models (FFMs), lets robots understand their surroundings without needing GPS or maps. This is a big deal for industries like construction, where environments are always changing.

The money was raised in two parts. The first round brought in $91 million with a company value of $400 million. The second round raised even more, giving FieldAI a new value of $2 billion. That’s a big jump in just one year.

FieldAI plans to use the money to grow fast. They want to double their team by the end of the year and keep improving their robot technology. Big investors like Bezos Expeditions, Intel Capital, Khosla Ventures, and Temasek believe in their mission.

QUICK FIRE ROUND
Your quiz questions for this week:

Which mechanical system component is responsible for transferring heat in a chilled water system?

A. Chiller  // B. Cooling tower // C. Heat pump 

What does an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) protect against?

A. Overcurrent conditions // B. Ground faults // C. Electrical fires caused by arcing

In construction scheduling, what is “float”?

A. Extra time allowed for material delivery // B. Time a task can be delayed without affecting the project finish date // C. Slack time between inspection milestones

What is the purpose of using Type X gypsum board in wall assemblies?

A. Enhanced moisture resistance // B. Fire resistance // C. Sound insulation

Which structural element is typically designed to resist lateral forces such as wind and seismic loads?

A. Beam // B. Column // C. Shear wall

Check out the answers at the bottom.

WEEKLY FUNNY
Work smarter, not harder… with your buddy.

REFLECTION
This week’s question to ask yourself✌️

Which daily habit do I most often overlook?

ANSWERS

Q1 A. Chiller // Q2 C. Electrical fires caused by arcing // Q3 B. Time a task can be delayed without affecting the project finish date // Q4 B. Fire resistance // Q5 C. Shear wall

How many did you get?