Title: The Truth Behind Those “$120,000 Mechanic Jobs”
Multiple people have asked what I think about Ford CEO Jim Farley saying there are 5,000 open mechanic jobs at about $120,000 a year that he can’t fill.
He’s right about the shortage. The part he skips is how those jobs actually pay.
Most dealership techs are on flat rate. That’s commission with no safety net. If a job pays 5 hours, you get 5 hours, even if it takes 10 because the part was wrong, the tool is broken, or the last guy hacked the car. Add $30–50k in tools, weak training pipelines, and shop politics, and that “120K” headline looks very different from inside the bay.
I wrote a breakdown of what it really takes to become a competent tech today, why young people are avoiding the trade, and what has to change if we want dealerships and independent shops staffed with real professionals.
If you have ever wondered why it can take days or weeks to get your car seen, or why good repairs cost what they do, read it.
Find it on our site at abrhouston.com under the blog section.
