At this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival, Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley warned that the rapid advances in AI and automation risk leaving behind the very workers who keep our society running. While productivity in white-collar roles has surged by nearly 30 percent, Farley noted, the efficiency of factory workers, construction crews and HVAC technicians—the so-called “essential economy”—has stalled or even slipped, according to Aspen Institute research.
Critical Shortage in Skilled Trades
Farley highlighted a serious shortage of skilled labor in manufacturing, construction and auto repair. No matter how exciting AI-driven factories or autonomous vehicles become, they all depend on electricians, welders and tradespeople to build, install and maintain the hardware. He even pointed out that advanced weaponry in national defense still needs boots-on-the-ground expertise.
Training Gaps & Automation’s Limits
A major cause is chronic underinvestment in vocational training. Trade schools are strapped for resources just as robotics and augmented-reality tools that could boost blue-collar productivity sit on the sidelines. Farley admitted that automation might take over about 10 percent of tasks at Ford today—and perhaps 20 percent when humanoid robots improve—but most jobs will still require human ingenuity. In one memorable anecdote from a Ford plant in Germany, a technician used a bicycle tire and a wooden slat to free a stuck truck tailgate, proving that no machine can replace creative problem-solving.
Honoring a Hands-On Legacy
Beyond corporate programs, Farley called for a cultural shift in how we value trade careers. He showed a photo of his grandfather—Ford’s 389th hourly hire—to remind everyone that many American families trace their roots to hands-on work. That kind of personal legacy, he said, could help close the prestige gap between office jobs and skilled trades just as demand for technicians soars.
A Coordinated Reskilling Mandate
In closing, Farley issued a clear call to action: companies need to pair on-the-job training with cutting-edge tools, and policymakers must boost funding for vocational programs. Without a coordinated plan to reskill and support workers in the “essential economy,” the next wave of technological transformation could deepen inequality and undermine our economic resilience. If we want progress to lift every worker—not just office professionals—we must design smarter machines and smarter social strategies to bring everyone along.