Universal Technical Institute announced that its program curriculum has been updated to include new hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) technician coursework initially at its California campuses.
This is a step in UTI’s overall EV strategy, which includes further expansion of EV content in the core Automotive Technology curriculum, enhancing manufacturer-specific advanced training programs (MSAT) with several manufacturer partners, and developing other new training models and partnership opportunities to expand UTI’s overall EV ecosystem.
“We expect that record sales for plug-in hybrid and fully electric zero emissions vehicles in the United States for the foreseeable future, along with major manufacturer targets for significantly reducing or eliminating sales of internal combustion engines, will continue to increase demand for EV trained technicians for years to come,” said Jerome Grant, CEO of Universal Technical Institute. “At UTI, we are committing resources to develop new coursework and a hands-on lab experience that will be provided by experienced instructors. Just as we have done with the combustion engine, we intend to be at the forefront of training for major manufacturers of electric vehicles.”
Added Volvo Senior Manager of Technical Training Jeffrey Jennings, “We are delighted with the partnership Volvo Cars has had with UTI over the past 21 years. We just celebrated our 102nd graduating class at the Avondale, Ariz., campus. We have most recently donated the use of 19 S60 T8 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles and equipment for UTI’s usage in their core curriculum.”
The announcement by UTI comes at a time with surging demand for new EV technology. According to a recent report by McKinsey, it is expected that by 2030, 65% of new car sales will be electric.
UTI has enhanced the core curriculum at UTI’s three California campuses in Sacramento, Rancho Cucamonga and Long Beach. Students have already begun completing the new EV coursework aligned to industry needs. The new EV coursework was developed in partnership with UTI’s EV Program Advisory Council, which includes major manufacturers like Ford, Volvo, BMW and GM, as well as major industry employers such as Crown Lift, along with leadership at Southern California Edison, Bosch and more.
Following the rollout of the initial core curriculum update and pending regulatory approvals, a new EV course is being developed and is planned to be piloted in 2022. In addition, the MSAT programs with several of UTI’s manufacturer partners will be enhanced to include EV training and certification designed to meet their specific product needs. UTI is working closely with its partners to enhance training programs, upgrade vehicles and teaching aids, and make any other changes needed to ensure the success of these programs. UTI is also exploring partnerships and alliances with a wide array of industry participants to continue broadening EV offerings and the overall EV ecosystem.
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