11/20/2025
WOW! 👏👏
We’ve been sounding the alarm in the automotive service world for over 10 years, and now even the big automakers are openly admitting the crisis.
According to Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley:
“Today … there will be 600,000 empty stalls in our dealerships, no technicians to work in them.” 
He also noted that Ford currently has 5,000 open mechanic/technician roles — some paying up to $120,000 per year — that simply aren’t being filled. 
If you’ve been on the ground in the repair and service industry — you know exactly why:
• Technician roles are too often treated as “dirty jobs” or looked down on, so the next generation sees little appeal.
• A large portion of our workforce is approaching retirement — and with them goes years of experience and tacit knowledge.
• Meanwhile, vehicles today are nothing like the cars of yesteryear — they’re highly advanced, packed with diagnostics, software, electric/hybrid systems, and complex hardware. The level of skill required is higher than ever.
• With fewer technicians in the market and greater demand for service, the value of technicians — and the cost of running service operations — is rising.
What this means:
• This trade has massive potential for anyone willing to step in.
• With fewer technicians available to do the work, those who are trained will be in high demand — and that translates to higher wages and more opportunity.
• But if we don’t invest in recruiting and developing technicians now, both dealer-level and independent shops will feel the pinch — slower throughput, longer wait times, higher costs.
👉 Let’s start treating the technician career path like the high-value, skilled profession it is. It’s more than “oil changes and brakes” — it’s diagnostics, electronics, specialized systems, advanced tools, and mentors passing down their craft.
Share this message if you’re in the service industry — because the shortage is real, and we’re standing at a pivotal moment for the trade
Carlo - Sils Auto.