Ford CEO Jim Farley warns of dire shortage of skilled tradespeople due to lack of training and education in critical job areas, including auto technicians, plumbers, electricians, and tradesmen. Despite offering high salaries, the company struggles to fill 5,000 mechanic jobs paying $120K per year, citing inadequate trade schools and community colleges that fail to keep pace with technology advancements.
The country faces a broader crisis in manufacturing and skilled trades, with over 400,000 open manufacturing positions and an annual shortfall of about 37,000 trained technicians in the automotive industry. Experts agree that demographics, evolving skills requirements, and outdated education systems contribute to the problem, which is reflected in a record-high trade school enrollment but stagnant four-year college enrollment.
To address the shortage, Ford has initiated scholarships for auto technicians, while manufacturers like Stratasys emphasize the importance of technical colleges and apprenticeships over traditional four-year college paths. However, higher wages alone cannot solve the issue if there aren’t enough trained workers to hire.
Source: https://nypost.com/2025/11/14/business/ford-ceo-jim-farley-says-he-cant-fill-5000-mechanic-jobs-paying-120k-per-year-we-are-in-trouble-in-our-country