Pierce Faculty invests in next-gen technicians

Pierce obtained a $500,000 IDEAL ZEV Workforce Pilot grant from the California Power Fee to develop a brand new zero-emission-vehicle curriculum, mentioned Larry Rillera, a senior staffer within the fee’s clear transportation program.

He simply completed visiting 52 excessive faculties to show college students on to the thought of servicing zero-emission automobiles.

College students who’re “into EVs are the cream of the crop,” he mentioned. “They’re fascinated about EV know-how and design.”

Supplier associations are also funding technician coaching. The California New Automobile Sellers Affiliation awarded $413,000 over the previous 5 years to 334 California college students for coaching.

“California is main the best way with innovation within the auto business and with the adoption of electrical automobiles and autonomous automobiles, which signifies that we additionally need to prepared the ground in coaching our future auto technician work drive,” Ok.C. Heidler, president of Tom’s Truck Middle and the California New Automobile Sellers Affiliation Basis chair, mentioned in an electronic mail. The muse disperses the grants.

The Larger Los Angeles New Automobile Sellers Affiliation started supporting technician useful resource improvement in 2018. This yr, it dispersed $120,000 in $10,000 and $20,000 increments to group schools for tuition help, device reimbursement and gear enhancement. Pierce is among the many schools that obtained a grant this yr. Bob Smith, government director of the Larger Los Angeles New Automobile Sellers Affiliation, declined to specify the quantity it obtained.

Funding alone will not entice extra folks to the service technician discipline, nonetheless, Smith mentioned. That requires getting dad and mom, profession counselors and mentors to see it as a viable profession.

“We have to change the picture, however it’s nonetheless robust,” he mentioned. “Plenty of {dollars} are being thrown at growing the subsequent era of auto techs, however there may be nonetheless rather a lot to do.”