Accelerating Advanced Electric Vehicle Technician Education While Increasing the Recruitment and Retention of Women

向电池驱动的电动汽车的转变继续改变着美国公共和个人交通的格局，而且没有放缓的迹象。随着基础设施建设的加快和道路上电动汽车数量的持续增长，汽车和重型设备维修行业的影响将需要得到解决。这个项目来自Linn Benton社区学院（LBCC），旨在解决俄勒冈州西南部汽车和重型设备技术人员日益增长的技能差距。该学院将利用其现有的汽车和重型设备柴油设施，创建一个新的为期一年的证书，重点是电动汽车和混合动力汽车技术。作为这项努力的一部分，学院将特别努力让更多的女学生参与学院的先进交通技术项目。最后，该项目将通过与邻近社区大学和高中的合作，促进区域内先进车辆技师教育项目的发展。项目团队最近完成了对该地区的经销商、独立维修店和市政当局的行业调查，以评估他们对当前和未来工人的需求。本次调查的结果将为创建一个新的一年制证书提供信息，该证书将是一个新的可堆叠证书，将有助于现有的高级车辆技术学位。LBCC的讲师将完成行业认可的培训，为他们开设六门关于先进运输和电池汽车技术的新课程做好准备。为了增加女性的比例，该学院将参加定制的培训课程，以进行系统性的改革，从而增加女性入学率。这次培训的实践将创造一种支持女学生的文化，并最终有助于使电动汽车行业的劳动力多样化。这项工作的结果将在俄勒冈州的17所社区学院之间分享，并通过ATE社区在全国范围内分享。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The shift towards battery powered electric vehicles continues to change the landscape of public and personal transportation in the United States and shows no signs of slowing down. While development of infrastructure ramps up and the number of electric vehicles on the road continues to grow, the impact on the automotive and heavy equipment repair industry will need to be addressed. This project from Linn Benton Community College (LBCC) seeks to address the growing skills gap facing automotive and heavy equipment technicians in southwest Oregon. The college will leverage its existing automotive and heavy equipment diesel facilities to create a new one-year certificate that will focus on electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle technology. As part of this effort, the college will make a special effort to engage more female students in the college's advanced transportation technology program. Finally, the project will promote the development of advanced vehicle technician education programs regionally through a collaborative effort including neighboring community colleges and high schools. The project team recently completed an industry survey of dealerships, independent repair shops, and municipalities in the region to gauge their needs for current and future workers. Results from this survey will inform the creation of a new one-year certificate, which will be a new stackable credential that will contribute to the existing Advanced Vehicle Technology degree. Instructors from LBCC will complete industry recognized training to prepare them for the creation of six new courses on Advanced Transportation and Battery Vehicle Technology. To increase the representation of females, the college will participate in customized training sessions to make systemic changes that should result in increased female enrollment. Practices from this training will create a culture of support for female students, and should ultimately help to diversify the electric vehicle workforce. Results from this work will be shared regionally among Oregon's 17 community colleges, and nationally through the ATE community. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.