How is Ford Tackling the Manual Skills Gap?

According to Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, the widening manual skills gap is creating a “very serious” issue for businesses and the wider economy. 

Speaking to the Office Hours: Business Edition podcast, he revealed that Ford currently has 5,000 open mechanic positions that the company has been unable to fill – despite offering six-figure salaries. 

This, he suggests, is due to a lack of infrastructure available to develop these skills. 

He says: “We do not have trade schools. We are not investing in educating a next generation of people like my grandfather who had nothing, who built a middle class life and a future for his family.”

This struggle to employ traditionally skilled workers is being felt across businesses, with a 2025 study from the National Automobile Dealers Association finding that the automotive sector has a deficit of 37,000 trained technicians – with over 400,000 manufacturing jobs available in the US, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.

Ford’s upskilling initiatives 

Ford is mitigating the skills gap through its training and development programmes, offering several automotive trade education pathways to upskill its future workforce. 

One such initiative is the company’s long-running Automotive Student Service Educational Training (ASSET) programme, which partners with community colleges local to Ford dealerships to provide both classroom study and paid, hands-on experience. 

Taking two years to complete, participants are awarded an Associate Degree at the end of their training. 

Discussing the success of the ASSET programme on its 40th anniversary, Brendan Coursey, ASSET Programme Coordinator, says: “Over the past four decades, we have not only equipped countless individuals with the technical skills and knowledge needed to excel in the automotive industry, but we have also fostered a community of lifelong learners and innovators. 

“Our commitment to excellence and continuous improvement has been the driving force behind our success, and I am excited to see what the future holds as we continue to shape the next generation of automotive professionals.”

The company has also developed a Ford Accelerated Credential Training (FACT) programme, for people who have already completed an automotive programme. 

This 15-week training initiative has been created to help early-career talent grow new and existing skills that can lead to long-term career growth. 

Ensuring workforce readiness in a rapidly changing market 

Having a robust workforce in place is crucial for Ford as it develops new capabilities amidst growing EV demand. 

Ford has laid out its strategy for EV development in its Ford+ plan, which centres on modernising the company to prioritise customer centricity through electric vehicles and digital services. 

Jim says of the strategy: “We want to give customers services and experiences they can’t live without – including things we haven’t yet imagined”.

Programmes like ASSET and FACT can help Ford lay the groundwork for the workforce it will need to advance its EV offerings, ensuring the company has the skilled human capital it needs to succeed."

Discussing these strategic shifts, Bill Ford, Ford Executive Chair and great-grandson of founder Henry Ford, told TIME Magazine: “Just as my great-grandfather put the world on wheels to give people the freedom of movement, our approach to the modern era is rooted in that same spirit.

“Innovation is not just about building batteries or technology for its own sake; it is about making people’s lives better. 

“We are leveraging our position as the largest hourly auto employer in the US to ensure that the future of transportation is built by American workers for everyday American families.”