BlackRock summit to focus on workforce needed for U.S. infrastructure boom

A coalition of government, corporate, and labor leaders will gather to address the skilled worker shortage for major infrastructure projects.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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A coalition of government officials, corporate executives, and labor leaders is gathering in Washington next week to address what many see as the biggest obstacle to a new wave of U.S. infrastructure investment: finding enough skilled workers to build it. BlackRock and Global Infrastructure Partners will host a U.S. Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, March 11, bringing together policymakers, business leaders, and labor representatives to discuss how the country can deliver major infrastructure projects while also expanding the skilled trades workforce needed to support them.

Why it matters

The issue has grown more urgent as billions of dollars in private investment flow into sectors such as semiconductors, energy, and artificial intelligence, all of which require a large workforce of electricians, construction workers, technicians, and other skilled trades. BlackRock research estimates that infrastructure development alone could create hundreds of thousands of new skilled trade jobs over the next decade.

The details

The summit's speaker list reflects a broad coalition forming around the workforce challenge, including U.S. government officials, bipartisan senators, corporate leaders, and labor union representatives. The goal of the gathering is to bring together leaders from across government, business, and labor to determine how the country can translate investment commitments into real projects and long-term economic growth.

  • The U.S. Infrastructure Summit will take place on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 in Washington, D.C.

The players

Doug Burgum

U.S. Interior Secretary.

Sean Duffy

U.S. Transportation Secretary.

Chris Wright

U.S. Energy Secretary.

Mark Warner

U.S. Senator, Democrat from Virginia.

Steve Daines

U.S. Senator, Republican from Montana.

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What’s next

The U.S. Infrastructure Summit will take place on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 in Washington, D.C. to address the skilled worker shortage for major infrastructure projects.

The takeaway

The summit reflects a growing coalition of government, corporate, and labor leaders who recognize the critical need to expand the skilled trades workforce in order to deliver on the country's infrastructure investment commitments and drive long-term economic growth.