Ford Has 5,000 Open Tech Jobs at $120K Each. Here's Why They'll Stay Open.

Jim Farley thinks America has a skilled labor shortage problem.

I think Ford has a humanity problem.

A few days ago, Ford's CEO went on a podcast lamenting that they can't fill 5,000 mechanic positions despite offering $120,000 salaries.

He blamed it on everything from lack of trade schools to generational work ethic.

Let me translate what's really happening:

Ford is discovering what happens when you treat human beings like "employee 389" for decades. (Yes, that's how Farley literally referenced his grandfather who worked there.)

See, Ford thinks this equation still works: Big Money + Big Brand = Automatic Talent Magnet.

Meanwhile, independent shops with a fraction of their recruiting budget are stealing their best technicians.

How?

They remembered something Ford forgot: Technicians are humans first, workers second.

Here's what Ford's $120K can't buy:

Direct access to decision makers - Not 7 layers of management who've never turned a wrench
Being seen as a craftsman - Not employee #12,847 in the meat grinder
Flexibility when life happens - Not "submit form HR-7B for your kid's baseball game"
Input that matters - Not suggestions that die in committee meetings
Recognition for excellence - Not the same raise as the guy who shows up drunk

The best part? Farley admits they agreed to a 25% pay bump over 4 years with the UAW.

Translation: They'll throw money at anything except treating people with dignity.

I've placed hundreds of technicians.

The ones earning $110K at independent shops that take care of them? They laugh when dealers wave $120K at them.

Why?

Because they've learned what shop owners are starting to realize:

Culture and lifestyle eat compensation for breakfast.

Yes, you need competitive pay.

But Ford's panic proves what I've been saying for years:

The technician shortage isn't the real problem.

The humanity shortage is.

While Ford scrambles to understand why money isn't working anymore, smart independents are building something money can't buy:

Shops where technicians are partners, not parts.

Where problems get solved, not documented.

Where excellence gets rewarded, not averaged.

So if you're an independent worried about competing with Ford's deep pockets, here's your wake-up call:

You already have what they'll never be able to buy - the ability to treat people like people.

The question isn't whether you can compete.

It's whether you're communicating this advantage in every job ad, every social post, every conversation.

Because those 5,000 open Ford positions?

They're not your competition.

They're your opportunity.

You can read the full article in Fortune magazine here: Ford CEO says he has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: ‘We are in trouble in our country’

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