Americans are saying no to this $120,000 job despite thousands of vacancies
It turns out that a lot of Americans are not interested in or adept at doing hands-on work.
Jan. 8 2026, Published 5:11 a.m. ET
Under President Donald Trump's administration, unemployment has become worse in America, with the lack of new jobs and massive layoffs. But it turns out that people who are strapped for cash are unable to do certain jobs, even if it means that they will receive a six-figure salary per year. One such post, which isn't attracting candidates despite thousands of vacancies, is that of a mechanic at Ford.
Ford is one of the biggest homegrown companies in the country’s history, and millions of Americans are proud owners of its automobiles. The company even has a strong presence in the country’s motorsports events. However, they’re still unwilling to work for the company in the role of a mechanic. As per CEO Jim Farley, there are around 5,000 mechanic jobs that aren’t seeing any takers.
A Daily Mail report claims that these jobs could pay up to $120,000 per year to employees. “We are in trouble in our country,” Farley said as per the report, before adding, “We are not talking about this enough. We have over a million openings in critical jobs, emergency services, trucking, factory workers, plumbers, electricians, and tradesmen. It’s a very serious thing.” He also said that dealerships across the country had a “bay with a lift and tools and no one to work in it.”
In a country where unemployment is rising, it's strange that people are not even willing to learn a skill that could help them earn six-figure salaries. There are a number of reasons behind this, and one factor is that the automotive industry is highly competitive, and to make a six-figure annual salary, employees would have to work fast.
That obviously puts a lot of pressure on them. Apart from that, it takes a long time to get to that six-figure sum. The report states that it takes five years just to learn the skills for the job. Skilled trade workers who graduate from Ford’s job center start off their career as a mechanic with around $42,000 a year. Things are different in different areas of the country as well.
The starting rate for an auto mechanic in Southeast Michigan is $43,260, with an increase after three consecutive months of employment. However, also requires eight years of previous experience or apprenticeship. A college degree, however, is not mandatory. The rate is slightly higher for an industrial truck mechanic, starting at $44,435. The requirements are the same as those of an automotive mechanic, and with a little patience, an employee could make a good amount of money to tackle economic headwinds.
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