The Siemens Foundation plans to make a $30-million, 10-year investment in training technicians to work on electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, Reuters reports.
As EVs grow in popularity, consumers have expressed disappointment with the functionality and reliability of charging stations, prompting the need for technicians to be trained to handle such problems and improve the technology.
The Siemens Foundation–the non-profit arm of German technology company Siemens' U.S. operations–will start this initiative in Michigan and North Carolina through partnerships with the North Carolina Business Committee for Education and Michigan’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP).
These fast-track programs will train individuals to build, install, and service the infrastructure needed for EVs, ranging from residential chargers to large commercial fleets. Emphasis will be placed on recruiting individuals from underserved and underrepresented communities to provide a path to well-paying, stable jobs.
According to EVITP, thousands of technicians in the U.S. and Canada have already been trained to install and service EV supply equipment, with a primary focus on charging stations. Stakeholders in the program include General Motors and BMW, equipment makers, utility companies, and labor unions.
“Making sure that we have a reliable (charging) network is part of ramping up EV manufacturing in this country,” said Siemens Foundation CEO David Etzwiler. “The number of jobs needed there is tremendous and it's immediate.”
