Indian River State College to Host FCS Electric Vehicle Convening

February 1, 2023 Suzanne Seldes

February 10 Gathering Considers Florida’s Workforce Needs for EV Infrastructure

FORT PIERCE, FL— Indian River State College (IRSC), home to the National Electric Vehicle Consortium (NEVC), will host a statewide convening on Friday, February 10, to identify opportunities for training, electric vehicle (EV) installation and other EV-related economic development possibilities across the Florida College System (FCS).

EV Charging Station

The invitation-only gathering of educational institutions, state agencies and industry representatives will consider Florida’s energy infrastructure and discuss opportunities for the FCS to help address workforce development and training needs. Colleges from every region in the FCS system will be on hand.

“The growth of Florida’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure means a need for more skilled workers,” said Henry Mack, Senior Chancellor of the Florida Department of Education. “The Florida College System is uniquely poised to efficiently and effectively deliver educational support and training for the many types of workers necessary for this emerging sector. This convening brings the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Transportation, industry, our State colleges and other stakeholders together to discuss and plan for those evolving workforce needs.”

According to international business consulting services firm PwC, the number of electric vehicle charge points in the United States will need to grow nearly tenfold to satisfy the charging needs of an estimated 27 million EVs on the road by 2030.

The development of a widespread EV charging infrastructure is likely to generate thousands of new jobs. Several types of workers with specific competencies are necessary for building an EV charging infrastructure. The stages of development include site planning and permitting, site preparation, electrical work, construction, the connection of chargers, testing and deployment, and maintenance.

At Indian River State College, National Electric Vehicle Consortium members are developing curriculum and standards for EV workforce certifications. The Consortium, established last spring, documents workforce needs, skills and competencies; collects data on academic programs and curricular resources; aligns academic programs and courses with the industry sector needs and; supports institutions of higher education in adapting and establishing new EV programs.

“We are proud of the leading-edge work we are doing here at IRSC through our NEVC to support broad-scale outreach and community-building among educational institutions; industry, professional, trade, and regulatory associations; educators; and practicing technicians within the EV ecosystem,” adds IRSC President Dr. Timothy Moore. “Hosting the first-ever FCS Electric Vehicle Convening at IRSC is a natural extension of this work.”