Electric Vehicle Technician Training for Northeast Ohio

With more than 12,000 electric vehicle (EV) jobs projected in Northeast Ohio by 2030, there is an urgent need to develop training opportunities, partnerships, and talent strategies. Industry leaders specifically identified a need for more technical degree graduates and a diversified talent pipeline. Increasing and diversifying the regional pipeline of qualified EV technicians will require not only curricular enhancements but dedicated support services, sustained industry engagement, inter-institutional collaboration, and heightened career awareness. Stark State College (SSC) will develop an innovative training solution for regional employers in need of technicians prepared to maintain and repair EVs. Component objectives of this proposal include: (1) enhancing SSC's Automotive Technology Program to prepare future automotive technicians to service and repair EVs; (2) participating in industry-related collaborations to improve regional workforce strategies and develop best practices to train students for EV technician occupations; (3) focusing student support services and heightening awareness of educational pathways in EV occupations to increase program enrollment, retention, and completion rates. As part of the Electric Vehicle Technician Training for Northeast Ohio (EV-NEO) program, project leadership will develop a recruitment and engagement plan that links women, minorities, and low-income students to EV career paths. A dedicated career specialist will lead recruiting efforts and provide automotive technology students with the necessary support to ensure academic and career success. The program can serve as a model for other institutions seeking to modify their programs to meet the growing need for skilled EV technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.