Ford Teams Up With Comedian Nate Bargatze

Ford has recruited comedian Nate Bargatze to help deliver a message that deserves more attention: The people who keep our vehicles running deserve some recognition, and America needs more people learning how to do their jobs. Bargatze brings the laughs, while Ford’s technicians bring the mechanical knowledge. Judging by his own description of his repair experience, that division of responsibilities is probably best for everybody. If you’ve never seen Nate’s standup routines, look him up on YouTube, he is hilarious.

Writing for Ford’s From the Road website, Bargatze recalled that his first used car had a sticky shift knob. His solution was to cover it with a tennis ball. That was apparently enough automotive innovation for one lifetime. The Bronco owner is now the face of Ford’s “Real Parts. Real Pros. Real Easy.” campaign, which launched Oct. 1 across streaming television, digital video and social media. The campaign promotes Ford parts, dealership service professionals and the convenience of service that can come to customers. According to Bargatze’s article, Ford trained more than 26,000 technicians in 2025.

Photo: Ford.

The partnership also connects to a broader workforce effort. Bargatze was named host of Ford’s second annual ACCELERATE the Essential Economy conference, held Sept. 30 at Michigan Central Station in Detroit. In her account of the event, Ford communications team member Kirsty McInnes described initiatives aimed at helping people discover skilled careers, finish training and enter the workforce. Those steps included expanded transportation support through Ford Philanthropy and $550,000 in joint support from Ford Philanthropy and JPMorganChase for Focus: HOPE, a Detroit nonprofit providing education and job training. The practical point is simple: Getting someone interested in a career does little good if that person cannot reach the classroom or complete the training.

The size of the challenge is substantial. According to a Sept. 30 announcement from the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades, its new national report projects approximately 1.7 million skilled trades job openings annually through 2035. That figure covers openings created by growth and the need to replace workers leaving those occupations; it is not a prediction that 1.7 million jobs will go unfilled every year. The report examines 124 occupations across all 50 states, reaching well beyond automotive service.

The alliance says training programs currently produce only 55 workers for every 100 needed, and just half of those enrolling in skilled trades training finish. It identifies transportation, child care and the need to earn a paycheck as practical barriers. Founded in July by BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford and Google, the alliance added 14 companies in September, including toolmakers, telecommunications providers and technology businesses. That range helps explain why the concern extends far beyond the dealership service lane.

There is also a gap between interest and action. Writing on Ford’s website, Derrick Feldmann, managing director of the Ad Council Research Institute, reported that 38% of surveyed students would consider a trades career, but only 11% planned to pursue one after high school. His explanation was that families often lack clear information about available careers, training requirements and how to get started. Parents were the strongest influence in students’ decision-making networks, making them an essential audience, too.

The Ad Council is developing a separate national public education campaign with founding partners Ford, Dycom, The Home Depot and the Wallace Foundation. Scheduled to launch in 2027, it aims to make those career paths easier to understand and pursue. Bargatze’s service campaign supplies an entertaining introduction to a serious subject. Helping families see a clear route from interest to employment is the next step—and one that requires considerably more equipment than a tennis ball.