Everyone talks about the skills gap, but almost no one talks about the transportation gap. Yet it's often the missing link between training for a job and a paycheck.

We know that people are enrolling in skilled trades training programs, but they aren't graduating at the same rate. Dig into why, and the answer is rarely the coursework.

It's a missed bus. A car that won't start. A training site with no transit nearby.

This barrier looks different depending on where one lives. In rural areas, a working vehicle isn't a convenience — it's a lifeline. In city neighborhoods, transit routes often don't reach training facilities, or don't run early or late enough to match class and shift schedules.

For millions of people trying to launch a career, earning a credential comes down to something as basic as having a reliable way to get there.

In 2026, Ford Philanthropy is focusing on tackling the barriers standing between people and skilled trades careers.

We've expanded transportation and mobility support in big cities and small towns alike — from a three-year transportation monetary fund with Last Mile Education Fund, Uber, and Rocket Community Fund, to free Lyft ride credits for SkillsUSA students, to Mobility Wallet pilots with Catch a Ride Network, Detroit Promise, and The Kresge Foundation that allow students to choose and pay for the transportation options most convenient for them.

But we also know that challenges occur for those students who own vehicles but struggle to keep them running.

A flat tire, a dead battery, a broken headlight. Small maintenance issues can mean missing an apprenticeship or falling behind in a critical training course. That's why we are announcing four new partnerships with local nonprofits in Detroit, Chicago, and Kansas City that ensure a car problem doesn't become a career problem:

• In Detroit, we are partnering with New Hope Automotive and Redford Brightmoor Initiative. New Hope Automotive, overseen by a master technician, is helping 25 to 50 households facing a transportation emergency get back on the road. Redford Brightmoor Initiative, with support from Ford Community Relations, is doubling its repair capacity — giving more neighbors free vehicle inspections and repairs.
  
  
• In Kansas City, we are partnering with Operation Breakthrough, pairing high school students with certified mechanics so they can earn critical certifications while repairing vehicles that go straight back to families in need.
  
  
• In Chicago, we are partnering with Vehicles for Change, repairing and providing vehicles to families working toward independence through its Keys to Independence program.

We know a lack of talent isn't what is keeping these skilled trades jobs unfilled. Access to reliable transportation is. Ford Philanthropy is betting that closing the mobility gap is one of the fastest ways to close the workforce gap.

Mary Culler is president of Ford Philanthropy.