Every spring brings out a new crop of high school, university, and trade school graduates. But how many of those recent grads have trained for an EV charging career? If you’re in a business or another organization that uses EVs or EV charging in your daily operations, you should consider investing in EV charging workforce development.
Discover why it’s so critical to invest in preparing the next generation of EV charging professionals to serve the nation’s growing interest in EV technology. Then, look at several ways your organization can invest in developing a robust EV charging workforce.
Why EV Charging Workforce Development Is Critical for US Businesses
Whether you’re an EV fan or not, statistics show that EV usage is on the rise worldwide. Businesses that eschew that fact will likely fall behind those that adapt their operations to accommodate EV drivers.
Retail shopping centers, grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses have begun to install EV charging stations on their properties. Providing EV owners with the opportunity to shop, stay overnight, or enjoy a meal while they charge their cars attracts new customers and generates extra revenue for the business.
Even municipal and commercial fleets are showing a trend toward EV adoption. Fleet managers, too, need to prepare for an influx of EVs on the roads.
One of the best ways to prepare your business, municipality, or other organization to accommodate EVs and their drivers is to have a well-trained staff. Whether servicing your charging equipment, untangling software glitches, educating customers about EV charging safety, or servicing the vehicles themselves, a knowledgeable workforce is your ticket to success.
Investing in training people for an EV charging career can punch that ticket for you. Here are some ways you can help train the next generation of EV professionals to staff your company.
1. Take Advantage of Federal Apprenticeship Programs
The US Departments of Transportation and Labor expanded the federal government’s existing infrastructure apprenticeship program “to expand the workforce for installing and maintaining EV chargers.” Registered apprenticeships are employer-driven programs that pair classroom instruction with on-the-job training, allowing them to earn a paycheck while they learn.
Although apprentices earn credentials recognized by employers nationwide, you can encourage the ones you hire to stay with your company. Offering additional educational opportunities, competitive raises and benefits, and most importantly, a company culture that recognizes their unique gifts can build long-term loyalty even after they graduate from the apprenticeship program.
These apprenticeship programs are available to federal government agencies as well as businesses. It’s an excellent way to broaden your organization’s presence in a more electrified future.
2. Consider Union-Led Apprenticeship Programs
Federal programs aren’t the only apprenticeship game in town. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) created a program that matches IBEW-member teachers with employers in the EV industry to create apprenticeship programs.
The program trains apprentices in manufacturing for the EV industry, EV maintenance and repair, and battery technology. Employers can partner with the IBEW teachers to customize their apprenticeship arrangements to meet their specific staff needs.
3. Use Alternative Fuels Data Center Resources to Train Security and Safety Personnel
Municipalities that plan to electrify their fleets will need to train their existing workforce and new employees to deal with emergencies unique to EVs and other zero-emission vehicles. Larger companies, too, that have security and safety personnel on staff will need to educate their existing personnel and future hires about what to do in such situations.
Fortunately, the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) has compiled several educational resources to help employees and newer hires deal with EV-related safety and maintenance issues. They even have a specific guide for towing, recovery, and storage company employees to update them on safety issues that might arise while transporting or storing vehicles with high-voltage batteries, such as EVs and hybrids.
4. Upskill Electricians to Install EV Infrastructure with the EVITP
The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) provides licensed or certified electricians with education and certification in installing and maintaining EV charging infrastructure. For under $300, your staff electricians will learn all the following and more:
- Assessing possible EV charging station sites
- Performing electrical load calculations
- Jobsite safety protocols
- Proper usage of personal protective equipment
- Best practices in installation and maintenance
For gas stations that plan to expand their fueling options to include EV charging, this program is an excellent way to train local electricians you might hire now and then to install and service your charging stations. Similarly, for businesses whose primary work is other than EV charging, the EVITP can help you get the most out of local contractors for a small investment in money and time.
If you head an electrical contracting company, it’s an easy way to position your business to take advantage of local businesses that want to install a few EV chargers in their parking lots.
Municipalities and larger companies that plan to electrify their fleets could also benefit from upgrading their staff electricians’ credentials to include EV charging installation and maintenance.
5. Support Community College, University, and Trade School EV Courses
As a January 2025 World Resources Institute report found, EV industry-focused coursework is becoming more common across the United States’ post-secondary institutions. Leading the charge are the nation’s many community colleges.
Community Colleges
With two-year degree programs, certification courses, and apprenticeship arrangements, these local schools provide opportunities for commercial and non-profit organizations to find competent staff members to staff their EV charging, maintenance, and repair divisions.
North Carolina’s Wake Tech, for instance, offers certification coursework geared specifically for the EV charging industry. Their EVSE Field Technician program includes introductory coursework on electric vehicles and electrical systems, EV and battery technology, charging station troubleshooting, maintenance and repair, EV charging communication systems, and charging station site inspection.
On the other hand, Ohio’s Cuyahoga Community College’s EV program has programs in both EV charging station operations and electric vehicle repair and maintenance. Its program requires no background in electronics or auto mechanics, making it an ideal choice for students new to the automotive field.
Universities
EV charging companies needing engineers to design more efficient charging options should look to the nation’s universities for highly trained personnel. Some institutions, such as Michigan’s Kettering University, even offer EV-specific master’s degrees. Others, like the University of Michigan, conduct leading-edge research in EV design and charging technology.
If you’re looking to staff your C-suite with competent leaders as familiar with the EV industry as they are with business best practices, university programs might be a fruitful source of top talent.
Trade Schools
Many trade schools, like the Philadelphia Technician Training Institute, offer courses in EV charging in their electrician programs. Forging a work-study partnership with one of these schools can provide you with employees ready to go on day one.
Don’t limit yourself to students studying to become electricians. Those learning the construction trade, too, should be welcome additions to EV charging companies looking to expand their presence to new locations.
6. Consider Self-Guided Online Courses for Your Staff
Full-time employees often don’t have the time to enroll in traditional coursework at trade schools, community colleges, or universities. ChargerHelp, an EV charger repair and maintenance company, offers a self-guided online course that prepares students to take the first part of the SAE EVSE Certification Exam – the EV industry standard.
This course would be a good fit for car dealerships wanting to branch out into EV charging. Leading EV carmakers, including ABB, Rivian, Siemens, Tesla, and Toyota, partnered with ChargerHelp to create the course.
This course provides students with chat board access, live Q&A sessions with industry experts, and monthly “fireside chats” about new EV charging trends with top EV innovators. Coursework covers the fundamentals of electricity, EV and battery basics, electrical codes, and safety protocols, as well as EV infrastructure maintenance and repair.
The cost of the course is $1,000. However, larger companies and municipalities can receive discounts for multiple students.
7. Invest in Your Fleet’s Staff with Local Hands-On Courses
The Clean Cities Coalition, a nationwide network of organizations promoting zero-emission transportation options, offers in-person courses in EV charging, maintenance, and repair for staff development. Whether you’re a fleet manager or a repair facility owner, your local Clean Cities Coalition might have courses to help you develop your EV fleet charging workforce.
Classes can include courses in servicing medium- and heavy-duty EVs and hybrids, ASE certification test preparation, safety protocols, facility management, vehicle operation, EV systems diagnostics, EV charging infrastructure diagnosis and repair, and more.
Further Your Own Education in the EV Space at the EV Charging Summit
While it’s prudent to invest in developing your workforce by supporting training programs in EV charging, it’s always a good idea to improve on your own knowledge in the EV space. When you attend the EV Charging Summit, you’ll hear from the finest minds in the industry on a wealth of topics – all geared toward making your EV charging company a success.
Learn about the latest developments in charging technology, discover how to obtain funding for your latest project, find out how to scale your charging business, and so much more. Reserve your spot at the Summit today!
