Long-term capital keeps choosing Indiana. Let’s keep it that way.

By JON HOOKER
Guest Columnist

There is a simple way to judge whether a region is getting economic development right: is long-term capital showing up, and is it creating durable work for the people who live there?

In central Indiana, all signs point to yes.

This spring, Governor Braun announced a $1 billion initiative to strengthen Indiana’s leadership in human therapeutics, animal health, aggrotech, biotechnology, and environmental innovation. The goal is ambitious – 100,000 new high-wage jobs over the next decade – but it builds on momentum that is already transforming our economy. Companies like Eli Lilly, Novartis, Corteva, and others continue to expand their footprint here because they see Indiana as a place where they can grow for the long haul.

Public investments matter, but they are only part of the story. The strongest vote of confidence comes from private investors willing to commit billions of dollars to Indiana’s future and Hoosier workers are skilling up to meet the moment.

To be sure, Meta recent announcement of a new $10 billion data center campus in Lebanon is a catalyst for growth in our entire region, but so is the union construction industry spending over $63 million to train workers. These investments don’t happen without confidence that the region has the workforce, infrastructure, and business climate to support them.

Now, another major investment is reinforcing that confidence. Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT have agreed to invest in AES Indiana’s parent company through a $33.4 billion transaction. Together, these long-horizon investment firms manage more than half a trillion dollars in infrastructure assets around the world. Their decision to invest in Indiana reflects confidence in the long-term growth of our entire region.

Importantly, AES’ Indianapolis headquarters will be maintained, its workforce preserved, and its community partnerships and economic development initiatives supported. Investors are excited and confident in this deal – this June, nearly 98 percent of AES shareholders voted to approve the transaction.

For the roughly 80,000 skilled construction workers across central Indiana, this sustained investment means stability. A single project can keep someone busy for a year or two. Multiple projects spanning pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, data centers, and energy infrastructure create careers that can last decades and support countless families across the state.

Yet every piece of this growth and every one of these investments ultimately depends on a skilled workforce to execute. Every manufacturing facility, transmission line, and utility upgrade depends on electricians, pipefitters, ironworkers, operating engineers, laborers, and other skilled professionals who build the infrastructure our economy relies on. Through registered apprenticeship programs, the building trades are training that workforce today so we’re ready to meet tomorrow’s demand.

In a market that structurally needs more skilled workers than it can produce, being located in one of the most active construction regions in the country is not a minor advantage. The construction industry nationally faces a shortage of 349,000 workers in 2026, climbing to 456,000 in 2027, driven in part by an aging workforce that is retiring faster than apprenticeship programs can replace it. Electrician employment is projected to grow 9.5 percent through 2034. Regions that can supply skilled labor will continue to attract investment, while those that cannot will watch opportunity go elsewhere.

The infrastructure implications are also notable. Modernizing our electric grid will be essential as Indiana continues to attract new manufacturing facilities, data centers, and advanced industries. Upgrading transmission capacity and improving system reliability won’t just benefit large employers. It will strengthen service for families, small businesses, and communities across central Indiana.

The unprecedented level of private investment flowing into our region reflects years of smart policy, growing infrastructure capacity, and a skilled workforce that has earned the confidence of employers and investors alike. More importantly, it signals that central Indiana is well positioned to lead the next era of American manufacturing and infrastructure investment in an increasingly AI-driven economy.

The building trades are committed to doing our part. We’ll continue training the next generation of skilled workers, delivering projects safely and efficiently, and making sure Indiana remains a place where investment creates opportunity and companies continue choosing to invest for the long term. That’s how we build an economy that is built here, by Hoosiers, and strong enough to last for generations.

Jon Hooker is the President and Executive Director of Central Indiana Building Trades.