‘I’m offering $120,000 a year jobs but no one wants them

The boss of Ford , Jim Farley, says that the USA is currently drifting into a serious skilled labour shortage.

Entry-level pay is solid but hardly glamorous. Ford vacancies show that skilled trade roles start at around $42,000 a year. In southeast Michigan, auto mechanics begin on about $43,260, with increases after three months. Industrial truck mechanics start at roughly $44,435. No college degree is required, but years of experience or apprenticeship usually are.

Forbes estimates that more than 345,000 new skilled jobs in the industry will open up in the US before 2028. For every five trained workers who retire, only two replace them, leaving around a million roles unfilled.

One drawback is how the pay actually works. Many mechanics are on flat-rate systems, meaning that they earn per job rather than per hour. Early on, that can mean long hours for somewhat underwhelming money. The big salaries do exist out there, but they tend to arrive late, once speed, skills and experience catch up. That delay puts off a generation raised on more immediate returns.

Ted Hummel shows what happens if you stick at it. The-39 year-old Ohio technician specialises in transmissions, one of the most complex and physically demanding roles connected to car mechanics. He now earns around $160,000 a year, but it took him roughly a decade in the trade before he finally broke the $100,000 mark. (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I’m offering $120,000 a year jobs but no one wants them – America’s in trouble’