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Ford CEO says he has 5k open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries

fortune.com

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Re: Ford CEO says he has 5k open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries

#2
> “We do not have trade schools,” he said. “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.”

So put your money where your mouth is and open your own trade school? If someone as incompetent and corrupt as Falwell can open and operate Liberty University, then why can’t CEO Farley?

Re: Ford CEO says he has 5k open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries

#3
> Still, part of the problem for the shortage of manufacturing jobs is the lack of education and training, according to Farley. He noted, for example, learning to take a diesel engine out of a Ford Super Duty truck takes at least five years. The current system is not meeting the standard, he added.

Sounds like Ford's #1 problem is failure to train its engineers, in how to design reasonably maintainable vehicles.

Re: Ford CEO says he has 5k open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries

#4
Six figure hourly-wage "salaries", as long as you put in the 20 hours overtime every week. He also didn't mention the swing shift going from 2 weeks on 3rd, 2 weeks on 2nd, 2 weeks on 1st, and repeat. We can probably find a bunch of other anti-worker issues if we look into it. He also suggests it takes 5 years of education to learn to take out an engine. You're better off getting a college education in that time. Or you'll be dealing with the same engine for the next 30 years. No future. No advancement, No life.

Re: Ford CEO says he has 5k open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries

#6
post #3

> Still, part of the problem for the shortage of manufacturing jobs is the lack of education and training, according to Farley. He noted, for example, learning to take a diesel engine out of a Ford Super Duty truck takes at least five years. The current system is not meeting the standard, he added. Sounds like Ford's #1 problem is failure to train its engineers, in how to design reasonably maintainable vehicles.

>> Still, part of the problem for the shortage of manufacturing jobs is the lack of education and training, according to Farley.

>> He noted, for example, learning to take a diesel engine out of a Ford Super Duty truck takes at least five years.

>> The current system is not meeting the standard, he added.

I fully agree with your opinion .... but this guy's quote is bizarre.

What system is failing to meet the 5-years-to-learn-how-to-remove-one-particular-engine standard?

High school trades? Community college? Private $xx,000 high-debt mechanic school?

None of these are remotely capable of teaching Ford's hyper-narrow specialization. Trying to would be a disaster.

Re: Ford CEO says he has 5k open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries

#8

> “We do not have trade schools,” he said. “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.” So put your money where your mouth is and open your own trade school? If someone as incompetent and corrupt as Falwell can open and operate Liberty University, then why can’t CEO Farley?

> why can’t CEO Farley?

I'm guessing it involves some front-end expense - which (like all business expenses) are at odds with shareholder wishes.

Re: Ford CEO says he has 5k open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries

#9
post #3

> Still, part of the problem for the shortage of manufacturing jobs is the lack of education and training, according to Farley. He noted, for example, learning to take a diesel engine out of a Ford Super Duty truck takes at least five years. The current system is not meeting the standard, he added. Sounds like Ford's #1 problem is failure to train its engineers, in how to design reasonably maintainable vehicles.

Many modern cars are not designed to be easily worked on. I think the priority is ease/cost of initial assembly, only.

My 2010 Mercedes had headlight bulbs that died frequently. But there was no way for a human to reach in and replace them, without either some special tool or disassembling a bunch of stuff at the front of the car. Just one example. You can find many similar complaints elsewhere.

Re: Ford CEO says he has 5k open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries

#10
post #7

Mechanics at dealerships or assembly line technicians? Because there's no way those jobs are 6 figures at the dealerships when automakers and dealers push fixed-fee services and severely underrate the hours required.

FWIW, I had an office at a Ford dealership, 2005-2010. Our mechanics earned in the 25k-55k range.
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