Between 2020 and 2026, the global electric vehicle (EV) market is expected to increase significantly. This will require a robust and reliable EV charging infrastructure—supported by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, a $7.5-billion investment that will help US States deploy EV chargers along interstate highways—along with trained service technicians to keep them operating at the required 97%.

The recent US Department of Transportation announcement indicates that all 50 states, including Puerto Rico, have been approved to begin deploying their projects and will need to consider workforce development to meet high uptime.

To help address this need, ChargerHelp! and SAE International’s Sustainable Mobility Solutions have partnered to share knowledge and best practices related to workforce development in these new job categories, such as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Technician.

This partnership joins the ChargerHelp! mission to enable disadvantaged communities access opportunities in the cleantech, electronic equipment repair industry and to promote economic mobility with good paying jobs and SAE Sustainable Mobility Solutions, which serves as the technically informed source for initiatives that help lead industries to a net-zero emissions future for transportation.

As new roles and associated needed skills emerge in the technical field of electronics repair, which includes EV charger software, firmware, and hardware, ChargerHelp! has demonstrated that sourcing for these technical and low risk electrical roles can be from communities typically under-represented in technology-forward jobs and those transitioning from dissolving industries.

This new partnership will help to:

• Define these new roles and their industry context;

• Consider how to build, test, and certify knowledge and skill; and

• Explore the career pathing, lifelong learning, and upskilling.

Certification curriculum is expected to be ready for enrollment by mid-2023.

Resources

• “The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: New Opportunities in Learning, Certification and Human Development in the EV Charging Industry”