Or start your batteries, in this case. Electric vehicles don't have engines.
Or start your batteries, in this case. Electric vehicles don't have engines. Construction Scheme Of Intelligent Networked Vehicle Training Room
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Or start your batteries, in this case. Electric vehicles don't have engines.
A multimillion-dollar grant is helping local automotive colleges teach students how to work on newer electric vehicles.
The program opens new doors for Greenville Technical College and its students.
"An electric vehicle rolls up in the shop, I'm going to have to know how to work on it," said Analyss Collazo, a first-year student at Greenville Tech.
The automotive industry is switching gears and speeding toward what they call a more sustainable future. The $2.83 million REVVED grant will ensure Greenville Technical College, Trident Technical, Spartanburg Community College, and Clemson aren't left in the rearview.
"The material is just completely changing every time we turn around," explained Trent Hulehan, Greenville Tech's Transportation Technologies department head.
He says the difference between gas-powered and electric vehicles is night and day.
"The best comparison would be like a landline phone versus your new iPhone. It's totally different," Hulehan said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country needs 76,000 new mechanics every year between 2016 and 2025 to replace retirees and fill new positions. But local trends suggest these skilled workers are still in demand.
"The dealerships are struggling to find someone certified to work on electric vehicles," said Hulehan.
Hulehan said most of his students rely on some form of financial aid to attend school. By using this grant to update the curriculum and teach students how to service hybrid and fully electric vehicles, they'll graduate ahead of their peers. The department head hoped they'd be more likely to find a good-paying job right out of school.
"People will pay you more because they're like, 'we're paying you for your mind,'" Collazo on her way out of class. "It's basically your skill, and only you have that skill."
The Biden Administration wants half of new cars and light trucks to run on zero emissions by 2030, and last year BMW announced they'd build electric cars in Spartanburg County.
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