General Motors CEO Mary Barra is pushing back against the long-standing idea that a four-year college degree and an office job are automatically the strongest career path. Barra says the United States has a broader “societal issue” with how it views skilled trades, particularly careers that require people to build, repair, install, and maintain physical equipment.
Barra’s remarks came during a Fortune interview and the “Fortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry” podcast, published September 9. She argued that the U.S. does not give skilled trades the same level of respect that she sees in Europe.
Barra specifically highlighted dealer technicians and electricians. A skilled dealership technician, she said, can earn in the $80,000s or $90,000s and potentially more depending on hours worked. She also told students that these occupations may be “a little more AI-proof” than some other career paths.
However, the GM CEO did not say skilled trades are completely protected from artificial intelligence or automation. GM itself is using AI and robotics extensively. Her argument is that jobs requiring workers to diagnose physical problems, manipulate equipment, perform repairs, install systems, and adapt to changing real-world conditions may prove harder to replace completely than some computer-based work.
Can Skilled Trade Workers Really Earn $100,000?
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data provide a clearer picture. Electricians earned a national median annual wage of $63,190 in May 2025. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $108,510. Electrician employment is projected to grow 9% between 2025 and 2035, much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. The BLS expects roughly 72,700 electrician openings per year during that period.
Some electrical specialties already have typical pay near or above six figures. Electrical power line installers and repairers earned a median of $95,320 in 2025. Those working for utilities had a median wage of $103,060, while workers in the federal government had a median of $111,900.
Electrical and electronics repairers working on powerhouses, substations, and relays had a median wage of $103,020. Across the broader electrical and electronics installer and repairer category, the median was $74,490, and the highest paid 10% earned more than $114,240.
The picture for automotive technicians is more mixed. The national median for automotive service technicians and mechanics was $50,620 in May 2025, according to the latest BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Technicians working for automobile dealers had a higher median of $59,920, and the highest paid 10% across the occupation earned more than $81,790.
Still, that does not contradict Barra’s statement that some dealership technicians can make $80,000 to $90,000 or more. Compensation can depend on experience, specialization, location, overtime, certifications, and the way a dealership pays technicians. BLS notes that some shops pay hourly wages while others compensate technicians based on the amount of work completed.
Why GM Is Worried About Finding Enough Skilled Workers?
Barra particularly emphasized demand for electricians, pointing to the enormous amount of infrastructure required for new data centers.
Federal projections support the broader point that demand remains substantial. The BLS expects about 569,000 openings per year across installation, maintenance, and repair occupations from 2025 through 2035. Some will come from employment growth, while many will result from workers retiring or permanently leaving those occupations.
The AI boom creates an interesting contradiction here. Artificial intelligence may automate parts of some jobs. But running AI systems requires huge physical facilities. Data centers need electrical infrastructure, cooling equipment, power distribution systems, construction workers, technicians, and people capable of maintaining sophisticated machinery.