Cambridge Regional College (CRC) has launched a series of electric vehicle (EV) courses to meet growing regional demand for operatives trained in EV maintenance and charging point installation.
The college, which has campuses at Cambridge and Huntingdon, offers five green tech courses in safety, maintenance, repair, and replacement of electric and hybrid vehicles.
Courses on offer include the IMI Level 1 Award in Electric/Hybrid Vehicle Awareness, EAL Level 3 Award for the Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Points, 18th Edition Wiring Regulations; and Level 3 Award in Electric/Hybrid Vehicles Routine Maintenance Activities.
The Level 4 Award in Diagnosis Testing and Repair of Electric/Hybrid Vehicles IMI is also set to be launched shortly.
Paul Lacey, CRC head of construction and motor vehicle, said: “Experts are predicting there will be a 300% rise in electric/hybrid vehicles, in less than a decade.
“However, the motor trades own figures state that by 2030 there will be a 25,000 shortage of qualified technicians to service the vehicles.
He added: “There is a desperate need to upskill the current motor trade network. Hybrid and EV servicing comes with new challenges and considerations, but the rewards are great and as result there is access to a customer base that is expanding rapidly for garages."
The college also aims to train current technicians and other personnel within the wider motor vehicle industry, such as breakdown technicians, so they can work on EVs safely and feel confident about diagnosing faults.
