Jim Farley has been focusing on the US's shortage of "tktk" workers Bloomberg/Getty Images

Ford's CEO continued his warning about a skilled workers shortage in the US in a coming podcast.

His guest added, "People don't care about a shortage of plumbers until their toilet doesn't flush."

Nearly half of manufacturers say hiring is a top challenge, industry data shows.

Ford CEO Jim Farley says the US is in a "really vulnerable place" due to ongoing skilled worker shortages.

"I would argue the most vulnerable we've ever been," he said in a new episode of his podcast, "Drive." The automaker shared a transcript ahead of the episode's Friday release with Business Insider.

For the past year, the Detroit automaker's top boss has publicly raised concerns about a shortage of skilled workers , including construction workers, manufacturing employees, and tradespeople. Farley has referred to this segment of the workforce as the "essential economy."

Industry data reflects similar concerns.…