by Ford, BlackRock, Carhartt and Google join forces to address the staffing crisis
Ford CEO Jim Farley is known for his complaints. Most often they concern China, but sometimes also other American automakers that build plants in Canada, Mexico and South Korea.
One of his favorite topics for grumbling is people’s reluctance to work at Ford dealerships. Although this may be related to the fact that the company is the undisputed leader in the number of recalls and has conducted as many as 59 campaigns since the beginning of the year, Farley blames this on a shortage of so-called “indispensable workers.”
More details: Ford CEO frustrated he can’t fill 5,000 mechanic jobs with $120,000 salary
As he explained in 2025, the problem extends far beyond dealerships, as “there are over a million job openings in critical positions: in emergency services, freight transportation, factories, as well as plumbers, electricians and craftsmen.” He also stated that we do not have vocational schools and do not invest enough in the next generation.
Ironically, he also said: “God forbid we go to war, because Google won’t be able to build the planes and tanks we need.” Fast forward to today: we are at war with Iran, and Ford is joining forces with Google.
Creation of the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades
However, they are not building tanks and airplanes. Quite the opposite: they are creating the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades together with BlackRock and Carhartt.
The organization has three main goals, the most notable of which is creating a talent pipeline for skilled workers. The Alliance will also publish a Skilled Trades Report and will seek to expand by bringing in new partners.
The group published an op-ed stating that “an estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs … could remain unfilled across the country by 2030, spanning numerous industries, sectors and regions.” This includes over 350,000 openings for automotive technicians, as well as about 130,000 positions for electricians.
Specific steps and plans for the future
To solve the problem, the companies are joining forces to “fill hundreds of thousands of open positions in skilled trades, creating real career opportunities for people and giving them highly sought-after, transferable skills.” There is not much detail yet, but they are starting with training in 30 states, and it is designed for everyone — from high school graduates to adults changing careers.
Unfortunately, for now there is more talk than action. Whether this will change remains to be seen, but the companies stated they are working with unions, trade associations, professional organizations, as well as non-profit and educational institutions. However, they did not explain in great detail what exactly they are doing and how they plan to achieve results.
This initiative comes amid an acute debate about the future of the US labor market, where technological progress and changes in the economy are creating a gap between the existing skills of workers and the needs of employers. The partnership of such diverse players as an automaker, an investment company, an apparel manufacturer and a tech giant points to the systemic nature of the problem. The lack of clear funding mechanisms and specific training programs at this stage causes some skepticism, however, the very fact of such powerful corporations uniting could act as a catalyst for larger-scale public and private initiatives in the field of vocational education.
