College course aims to spark interest in EV technician roles

Working in partnership with Logistics UK, the City of Bristol College and SMB College Group in Leicestershire will offer the IMI Level 2/3 award in preparing heavy electric/hybrid vehicles for repair.

It is hoped the course will help address the skills shortage in EV qualified technicians, which the IMI forecasts will be 16,000 by 2035.

David Jordan, deputy director of operations at Logistics UK said: “The new government is expected to reinstate 2030 as the year when sales of new internal combustion engine vehicles will be banned, so the need for skilled EV technicians has become even more pressing.

“Both City of Bristol College and SMB College Group’s Stephenson Campus in Coalville are excellent modern facilities that provide the ideal environment and technical equipment to help develop the workforce of tomorrow, and we are delighted to be working with the colleges to host such an important programme for the HGV market.”

SMB College Group’s director of curriculum, Paul Dancer, said it was essential that education providers were linked in to opportunities that supported the industry with upskilling the current workforce: “It is also vital for us to ensure that our curriculums are carefully designed so that our learners are educated appropriately to support the future requirements of the industry,” he added.

Following a successful assessment, the vocational qualification provides technicians with a nationally recognised award and the skills required to work on heavy electric and hybrid vehicles, including buses and coaches.

Logistics UK said technicians interested in taking the course must possess appropriate heavy vehicle maintenance and repair knowledge and skills at Level 3 or equivalent.

More details can be found here: https://logistics.org.uk/evimiaward