Scope: The project team will research, develop, and deploy a model framework for a standards-driven Community and Technical College (CTC)-based Associate’s Degree with a specialization in electric drive train repair and maintenance for automotive, transit, and class 1-8 electric vehicles. The team will establish recommended general and specialty courses for the degree, and will establish minimum standard EV coursework. Because automotive programs in some regions may be delivered primarily by Career and Technical Education Institutions of K-12 public education systems, the model will include a pathway for high school students to convert high school coursework related to automotive programs to college credits toward an Associate’s Degree. Further, the model will include career exploration/workforce development component targeted to youth, women, minorities, economically disadvantaged, and other underrepresented populations to address workforce diversity, especially related to gender equity in the industry.

Approach:  CTCs are highly attuned to employers’ needs. Until recently, except in regions that have been early EV adopters such as California, employers typically have not demanded that prospective recruits possess a basic understanding of electric vehicles. Select NAFTC members (CTCs and CTEs) from across the U.S. will review collectively how CTCs and CTEs are approaching EV education, identify best practices, review educational materials, identify gaps, and will address those gaps to arrive at a two-year degree program to establish a national standard in EV education and training. The team will conduct a train-the-trainer roll out of the model and the materials for up to 30 educational institutions with automotive programs. An Employers Council will be created from the respective project team members’ industry advisory committees to ensure a strong match between job knowledge required, the associated credentials, and employers’ needs. A plan will be developed to expand the credentialing effort beyond the funding period.

Project Stage: This is a research and development effort to establish a uniform, credentialed, EV education standard to be promulgated nationally. Participants include public and private non-profit institutions of higher education and K-12 public education. The project involves researching whether and how CTCs and CTEs are approaching EV education and developing a model that will lay the foundation for establishing a national standard for High-Voltage EV Technician Education and certification to meet workforce needs.

Expected Outcomes: Outcomes include a model for preparing an  EV technician workforce, a beta tested train-the-trainer program introducing the model and materials, and plan to continue the project beyond the funding period. Up to 36 institutions and 72 instructors will be involved in this initial credentialing effort.