Ford CEO Jim Farley is sounding an alarm that many leaders have ignored for too long. Speaking on the Office Hours: Business Edition podcast, Farley revealed that Ford currently has over 5,000 open mechanic positions, each offering salaries as high as $120,000—nearly double the U.S. median income.
Yet even with these competitive wages, the roles remain vacant.

And Ford is not alone.

According to Farley, the shortage spans across emergency services, trucking, factories, plumbers, electricians, and trade work—a nationwide gap that threatens the backbone of the American economy.

“We are in trouble in our country. We are not talking about this enough,” Farley warned. “We have over a million openings in critical jobs… It’s a very serious thing.”

A Growing Crisis in America’s Labor Pipeline

Despite political commitments to strengthening domestic manufacturing, the math tells a different story.

  • 400,000+ manufacturing roles were left unfilled as of August, based on preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

  • Although unemployment sits at 4.3%, many are unwilling—or unqualified—to step into skilled, hands-on roles.

  • A 2024 joint study by the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte found that more than half of manufacturing firms struggle to recruit and retain talent.

This gap is widening even as companies raise wages. Ford, for example, eliminated its lowest wage tier and granted a 25% pay increase over four years as part of its 2023 UAW agreement.

Still, positions aren’t being filled.

A Lost Generation of Skilled Workers

Farley attributes a significant part of the shortage to America’s failing trade-school pipeline.

Taking a diesel engine out of a Ford Super Duty truck—a core skill for many dealership mechanics—requires:

  • 5+ years of training and hands-on practice

  • Advanced technical knowledge

  • Specialized problem-solving abilities

The U.S., Farley says, simply isn’t producing enough talent to sustain these fields.

“We do not have trade schools. We are not investing in educating a next generation of people like my grandfather,” he said.

Farley’s own grandfather, employee No. 389 at Ford and part of the Model T legacy, built a stable middle-class life through skilled labor. Today, that pathway is fading.

Gen Z: The Unexpected Reversal

There is one promising trend: Gen Z is quietly shifting the narrative.

Instead of pursuing traditional four-year degrees, more young Americans are opting for vocational training as a faster, debt-free route to high-paying careers.

  • Trade-school enrollment jumped 16% last year, reaching its highest level since 2018, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.

Still, the demand far outpaces supply. While some roles exceed $200,000 annually, most of these high-earning jobs still require advanced specialized education.

What’s at Stake

If the skilled-labor pipeline continues to shrink:

  • Manufacturing growth will stall

  • Supply chains could slow

  • Essential services may face dangerous understaffing

  • Companies like Ford will struggle to meet economic and innovation demands

Farley’s warning is clear: America must rebuild its skilled-trade infrastructure or risk long-term economic consequences.