PATHWAY CONNECTION

The Electric Vehicle-Automotive Technician/EV Specialist Training non-credit course provides urgently needed safety, technical, and ancillary training based on emerging skills gaps in the automotive technician workforce. Developed by Bergen Community College in conjunction with Bergen County Technical High School (Paramus), the course is designed to bridge the current workforce skills gap relating to new technological changes in power systems with electric batteries, diagnostic systems which have become increasingly electronic, the effects of temperature on various systems, changes in weight distribution including battery location affecting lifting processes, and more. The course is designed to upskill currently employed Automotive Technicians for their continued career growth and to expand this valuable career opportunity for those entering the workforce. The course consists of 75 contact hours delivered over 27 sessions, and prepares students for the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), Light Duty Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Specialist Certification examination (L3).

Bergen Community College is overseeing two pilots of the Electric Vehicle-Automotive Technician training course, which is also the apprenticeship RTI.

The first pilot will be held at Raritan Valley Community College in August 2023 for 8 to 10 Community College or Vocational-Technical school students and incumbent automotive mechanics. Eligible students who successfully complete the course can then start their apprenticeship on-the-job training hours in September 2023.

A second pilot of the course for 8 to 10 Community College or Vocational-Technical school students and incumbent automotive mechanics will be held at Bergen County Technical Schools (Paramus) campus in the early Fall 2023. Eligible students who successfully complete the course can then start their apprenticeship on-the-job training hours upon completion of the course.