Ford’s CEO says 5,000 jobs are open. Mechanics say there is little wonder why.
“We are in trouble in our country,” Farley said. “A bay with a lift and tools and no one to work in it.” Farley said the jobs can pay $120,000 a year, but they take five years to learn.
Only a small sliver of mechanics stick around long enough to get to that level of pay. The work is physically grueling. It is costly to start because mechanics need tens of thousands of dollars worth of tools. And the starting pay is closer to fast-food wages than to six figures. The 2024 median pay for a dealership mechanic or technician in the U.S. was $58,580, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
It was these sorts of promises that helped lure Hummel into the profession. Hummel got a two-year degree focused on automotive technology that cost about $30,000.
“They always advertised back then, you could make six figures,” he said. “As I was doing it, it was like, ‘This isn’t happening.’ It took a long time.”
Interesting look at the path to being a well paid car mechanic. Spoilers: it's not that easy, nor cheap. Perhaps a sobering take for anyone who thinks ushering more young people into the skilled trades is an easy solution to their economic problems.
It still probably makes more sense than sending everyone to college. But blue collar work isn't a magic bullet either.
Maybe I'm just ignorant but who is saying this and what is the reasoning? Magic bullet for what exactly?
For decades I have know that Skilled trades are neglected and even looked down on largely by our culture and institutions.
To me, that is a problem. A problem for us collectively. And a glut of people with bachelor's degrees but not skills and tons of debt is a waste. That's a problem.
What am I missing?
I think that's what I'm trying to figure out. The narrative is that people aren't going into skilled trades because it's neglected and looked down upon. That's how I think/thought too, but from reading this article it also seems possible that the skilled trades are not actually a very attractive career to go into.
I think you might need to consider looking into other trades beyond Ford mechanics. I believe plumbers, welders, and electricians have pretty good outlooks.
You aren't gonna get rich but you can raise a family. It's not a magic bullet. That's the wrong kind of thinking. I just haven't heard that. What I have heard is more like, hey you can avoid college debt and get in the workforce quick. Make a good living. Work with your hands.
Like most things if you wanna make real money you need to start a business. Which one can do in these trades. Those are the guys that make bank.
My dad wanted me to be a mechanic. I can do it. I just never liked it enough. I would t wanna do it and I don't think it pays great. If I had to pick a trade other than Software it would be Electrical
It's almost like there's no low hanging fruit just lying around
Buy my MoonCoin it'll 100x in a year i guarantee it
I wonder how long these things will last - seems like automation will eat them eventually. But I guess that's true of everything.
Have you ever worked on cars? Just curious.
I have, and know mechanics. Seems far off to me. Not something that's impossible for sure but doesn't seem near term unless there's a leap in robotics.
Haven't worked on engines for years. Agree that it seems remote. But then I watch videos of how the things are assembled in China and I think it's probably closer than it seems.
Much of the problem as well is that modern cars have too many parts to do simple tasks. The amount of over-engineering to make something almost impossible to repair is ridiculous. A vehicles doesn't need that much to operate, run, move and handle. But now a gearshift box could have 150 parts. Urr...why?
Money promises don’t build careers trust does and when the early years feel like a trap most people walk long before the payoff ever arrives.
I think one of the huge failures of the "western" industrial mindset is that someone either goes to college, or "skilled trades".
Why isn't the path of studying onwards in parallel to a career more commonly recommended?
Engineering students who have spent most of their waking and working hours coping with machine failures will also have a much more worldly perspective than naive teenagers who dream of being the next Edison, while worried that they'll be the next Tesla; in reality, both are ludicrously unlikely scenarios.