Ford can't find mechanics for $120K: It takes math to learn a trade

Pay Levels, CEO Compensation, and the “$120K” Figure

• Many commenters say “just pay more and train people” and note that $120k today is roughly mid‑1990s $60k, so not extraordinary.
• Others push back that wages must remain economically viable; you can’t simply mandate $300–500k.
• There’s heavy skepticism that Ford mechanics actually earn $120k: claims that this is a top‑end figure requiring huge overtime, flat‑rate underestimation of repair times, and ignoring tool costs. Several insist local mechanics rarely crack $100k.
• Debate over redirecting CEO/C‑suite compensation to fund more mechanics: some argue trimming executive pay could meaningfully fund hundreds of techs; others note most CEO pay is in stock, not cash, and that dividends are a much larger outflow.
• A side thread argues whether CEOs are overpaid versus “paid what the market bears,” with citations that CEO pay correlates weakly with firm performance and strongly with luck.

Training, Trade Schools, and Corporate Responsibility

• Many argue Ford and similar firms should fund trade programs, apprenticeships, and community college curricula, as defense contractors historically have.
• A community college professor says companies gutted in‑house training, pushed the burden onto underfunded schools, and now complain about skill gaps while teaching is done on decades‑old equipment.
• Some think repayment clauses (pay back training costs if you leave early) solve the “we’ll train them and they’ll quit” fear; others say companies simply don’t invest seriously.

Education, Math Skills, and Credential Inflation

• One camp blames “dysfunctional public education,” social promotion, and weak math basics; UCSD data on students needing remedial middle‑school math are cited.
• Another camp notes U.S. scores are roughly comparable to Western Europe and argues the real issue is that math‑capable graduates are sorted into better‑paid fields.
• Several criticize credential inflation: jobs that should be reachable with good high‑school math now demand expensive degrees, while employers still complain about skills.

Design, Maintainability, and Work Conditions

• Some say Ford underestimates book repair times (especially warranty work) and designs vehicles that are difficult to service, so mechanics effectively work unpaid hours.
• Others clarify that the $120k jobs are more like factory/automation technicians than classic dealer “grease monkey” roles, requiring higher‑level diagnostics and electronics skills.
• Commenters suggest improving maintainability, paying for realistic labor times, providing tools, and building real promotion pipelines would attract more workers than PR about six‑figure roles.

Wider Economic and Policy Themes

• Threads branch into wealth inequality, taxing billionaires, and whether higher top rates would meaningfully fund social promises.
• Education funding cuts, voucher proposals, and family economic stress are cited as background drivers of weaker preparation and reduced interest in trades.
• Overall sentiment: skill shortages are less about innate ability and more about pay, conditions, training investment, and system design.