We’re Running Out of People Who Keep Us on the Road. Here’s One Way Ford Is Addressing That

Our industry is running low on an essential group of workers who keep America’s cars and trucks on the road: automotive service technicians.  

As experienced pros retire or switch industries, dealers are struggling to fill the vacancies. Estimates vary, but according to the National Automobile Dealers Association, we need to add about 76,000 technicians a year – slightly larger than a capacity crowd at Ford Field. 

A shortage like that won’t fix itself. So today, as the National Automobile Dealers Association Show continues in Las Vegas, we’re taking action. Ford will be one of the first manufacturers to launch NADA’s program to help dealerships build in-house apprenticeships and expand training through this proven earn-and-learn model. 

The program was developed with ASE Educational Foundation, which helps set industry standards for training and certification. Later this month, we will roll out the program to dealers across the U.S., starting first by bringing in NADA leaders for Ford’s annual conference for technical placement specialists.  

For dealers, the program can unlock financial incentives. The U.S. Department of Labor has recognized it as a “registered apprenticeship” -- a formal designation that, the agency says, makes participating dealers eligible for tax credits in some states and possibly federal aid. The Labor Department is also aiming to put another $145 million toward expanding its registered apprenticeships across all industries.

For apprentices, they will graduate with a nationally recognized credential. Over the course of 18 to 24 months, they will receive more than 2,000 hours of hands-on experience and roughly 400 hours of technical instruction. The curriculum covers all types of cars and trucks but emphasizes electric vehicles, where the work can feel like three jobs in one: mechanic, high-voltage electrician and IT troubleshooter.  

This program is part of Ford’s broader push to fill a skilled-labor gap in the industries that build, move and fix our nation — what Ford President and CEO Jim Farley has called the Essential Economy.  

At Ford Pro Accelerate last fall, Jim shared the stage with U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer as we gathered business and government leaders together to talk about the Essential Economy. Waiting around, she said, wasn’t a strategy for replacing the shrinking ranks of specialists in construction, agriculture, manufacturing and transportation.

Ford joining the NADA program as an early adopter and supporter of the Labor Department’s goal of reaching 1 million active apprentices is just one of the ways we’re taking a lead in solving the country’s auto tech shortage, including: 

• Growing the talent pipeline by engaging school students through our Automotive Career Exploration program with over 1,100 partner campuses.
• Providing more than $7 million to over 1,400 students for training through the Ford Auto Tech Scholarship with TechForce Foundation. 
• Supporting industry retention through our Ford Accepted Service Training program that allows techs to carry over their experience into new roles.
• Accelerating career development through our 33 Ford-owned training centers, helping technicians build skills faster.

Vehicles are more advanced than ever, and the people who service them need more than pliers and screwdrivers. As Jim wrote in Time magazine, “Demand for trained, skilled Essential Economy workers will only grow in the years ahead.” 

Solving this issue is critical for America’s future. And we’re proud to do our part.

Daniel Justo is vice president, Ford Customer Service Division