Ford and JPMorgan launch $2 billion Michigan initiative to close skilled-trade gap

Jim Farley, chief executive of Ford, and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon announced Michigan LIFT, a $2 billion public-private effort that plans to award up to $1 billion in supplier contracts and provide a matching $1 billion in financing over a decade. The launch coincides with the first report from the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades, a coalition that includes Ford, BlackRock, Google and Carhartt, which projects a need for roughly 1.7 million skilled-trade workers annually through 2035.

The study notes that shortages differ by occupation and region, with many workers nearing retirement and apprenticeship completion rates below 50 %. The initiative aims to link demand, capital and public resources to expand training, improve completion rates and support workers with childcare and transportation. Farley stressed that solving the gap requires coordinated action among employers, educators and policymakers, asserting that American manufacturing’s best days lie ahead.