Looking for a technician position? Consider applying at a Ford dealership. They have lots of openings.

During the opening of a high-profile gathering late last month in Detroit, Ford Motor’s President and CEO Jim Farley told an audience of business leaders that his company’s dealerships are in need of 6,000 professional technicians.

Farley, speaking at Ford’s Pro Accelerate: The Essential Economy, said his company is no exception. In fact, the gathering of 300 business leaders was called to focus on the workforce shortages within this country’s Essential Economy, which includes manufacturing, utilities, construction, and transportation, and relies on 96 million skilled tradesmen and women.

“This summit addresses a fundamental challenge to America’s prosperity: a growing productivity divide that holds back the very people who build, move, and fix our country,” said Farley. “At Ford, we believe honoring these essential workers means equipping them to win. This is a call to action for business, technology, and government to break down the barriers of bureaucracy and underinvestment.”

He added, “If anything comes out of this today, it’s this: we need to figure out how to invest in the people who build things.”

Ford said in a statement about the summit that it’s leading through its Ford Essential Workforce Initiative. This includes programs like the UAW-Ford Joint Apprentice Program; nationwide auto tech recruiting and training partnerships; and Ford Pro services that make customers more productive, including a new collaboration with ServiceTitan.

During the summit, Ford Philanthropy announced new workforce development investments totaling over $5 million for 2025-2026, projected to benefit more than 100,000 students and educators through:

• 15 Ford Future Builders Labs in Michigan and Tennessee to bring hands-on learning to K-12 students
• A new partnership with SkillsUSA to expand advanced manufacturing and automotive programs for high school students
• The creation of the Ford Philanthropy Advanced Manufacturing & Trades Scholarship to cover training, tools, and expenses for students pursuing careers in the skilled trades
• The expansion of Ford’s Auto Tech Scholarship with TechForce Foundation, which has already provided $7 million in financial support to 1,400 students since 2023

As part of these efforts, Ford is also exploring with Bloomberg Philanthropies how to expand its innovative model for career-focused high schools to the skilled trades.