AI creating need for electricians

By Mike Switzer

Published June 3, 2026 at 6:30 AM EDT

Stephen Lipster, director of the Charleston Electrical Training Alliance in North Charleston, SC

AI is not only replacing jobs, it’s creating them. Our next guest’s organization is staying busy training electricians who will be installing and maintaining the electrical systems behind AI data centers and other large-scale infrastructure. Mike Switzer interviews Stephen Lipster, director of the Charleston Electrical Training Alliance in North Charleston, SC.

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Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

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