# Ford CEO exposes why Gen Z won't finish trade apprenticeships

> Seventy-one percent of teens want skilled trades, but only 48 percent finish apprenticeships. The problem isn't persuasion, it's what happens after they enroll.
- Title: Ford CEO exposes why Gen Z won't finish trade apprenticeships
- Summary: Seventy-one percent of teens want skilled trades, but only 48 percent finish apprenticeships. The problem isn't persuasion, it's what happens after they…
- Keywords: jim farley, ford, skilled trades, apprenticeships, gen z, alliance for america's skilled trades, workforce development, blue-collar work, CEO, exposes, Gen, won't
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/10/08/jim-farley-gen-z-blue-collar-work-trades
- Author: Christina Sass
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: jim farley, ford, skilled trades, apprenticeships, gen z, alliance for america's skilled trades, workforce development, blue-collar work
## Ford CEO challenges the college default
Ford CEO Jim Farley said the air we breathe is a four-year degree, pushing back on the assumption that college is the only path forward for young people.

> the air we breathe is a four-year degree
## The Alliance launches with major partners
Ford launched the Alliance for America's Skilled Trades with Google, BlackRock, and Carhartt to research how students, parents, and teachers view the trades.
## The jobs gap is massive
Employers will need to fill about 1.7 million skilled trades openings every year through 2035, but training programs are preparing roughly 55 people for every 100 of those jobs.
## Interest is high, but completion is low
Seventy-one percent of teens say they would be proud to pursue a skilled trade, and eighty-one percent of parents would be proud if their child did. Yet of every 100 people who start an apprenticeship, only 48 finish.
## The real problem: what happens after enrollment
Just 29 people are working in a trade five years after starting an apprenticeship. America is losing young talent after they've already said yes, and much of that is in employers' hands.
## Barriers employers built themselves
Apprentices earn little while they learn, and in some trades they carry costs employers used to cover. Auto technicians, for example, are paid per repair regardless of how long the job takes and buy their own tools.
## Mexico shows what works
The International Youth Foundation worked with automakers to design technical tracks in automotive painting, tool and die manufacturing, and automation across 28 campuses. Eighty-two percent of graduates were employed within five to six months.
## What the Alliance must do next
Alliance members should publish completion and five-year retention rates for training programs. Employers should co-write curriculum in public schools, pay apprentices while they learn, cover tool costs, and ensure jobs pay a living wage.
## Key takeaway

Ford CEO Jim Farley and partners launched the Alliance for America's Skilled Trades to address a crisis: while employers need 1.7 million skilled workers yearly through 2035, most apprentices drop out due to low pay, transportation costs, and outdated training rather than lack of interest.