The electric vehicle (EV) revolution is in full swing. There have never been more choices for EV drivers, and their wider adoption has the capability to reduce CO2 emissions by over 90%, boasting a positive impact on both the environment and local communities.
However, despite the increase of EV adoption in new vehicle sales, there has been a clear issue with the EV charging infrastructure. Even though there is a robust amount of charging stations available—approximately 3 million currently—many of them have been found inoperational, according to EV drivers. Reports of outages and broken equipment have laid bare the need for skilled EV infrastructure maintenance technicians.
SkillFusion is a company that has emerged to meet this need. The brainchild of a group of clean energy, mobility, and training experts, SkillFusion seeks to train workers in this niche but growing space and help close the gap between EV adoption and the availability of reliable charging infrastructure.
"As we know, there has been a shortage of skilled workers across nearly every industry and sector," says SkillFusion President and Co-Founder Rue Phillips. "This issue is worsened when we look at specialized skill sets within a smaller sector, such as electricians and technicians certified to work on EV charging systems. As the number of charge stations being installed increases with the available federal funding, the demand for these electricians is only going up—further highlighting the shortage."
A Pathway to a New World of Work
As EV adoption expands and this young industry is expanded, specific skill sets and certifications will become more important. Currently, the gaps in the maintenance industry are being filled by electricians and auto technicians who may not have specialized EV skills. This lack of certified specialists available to fix the infrastructure has contributed to widespread "charging anxiety" by EV drivers.
SkillFusion focuses on these specific skills and creating a clear pathway to certification. Through partnerships with credentialing organizations, such as the EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program), SkillFusion envisions a future of fully-supported EV infrastructure.
"SkillFusion is working to create different pathways for people to enter this career trajectory, from adding new credentials for current electricians to providing training for entry-level technicians," explains Phillips, "opening a door to new career paths for millions across the country who want to be part of supporting a market that will grow exponentially over the next 15 years and beyond."
A Tech-Informed Approach
The SkillFusion approach is as technologically advanced as the EV market it is built around. The team leverages artificial intelligence (AI) tools to develop a wide range of content. As they have built out their content, they also use AI tools to ensure that all lessons within their proprietary MicroTrax platform are up-to-date with the latest industry standards and requirements.
SkillFusion offers video-based learning in EV charging system-specific (or EVSE) skills. The certifications range from basic training for EV infrastructure maintenance to computer and networking skills through electrician certification for EVSEs, with the end goal of complete work readiness and the ability to support the growing EV charger infrastructure.
The first credential offering—that of an EVSE diagnostic technician, or EDT—is a "first of its kind" certification that will allow workers with electrician, auto technician, or computer skills to move into the growing EVSE field.
Support for SkillFusion's Mission
There is no doubt that an expanded charging infrastructure can only help the spread of EV usage. "More chargers would help with range anxiety—the fear of running out of charge—as EVs currently live from charging station to charging station, compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that can find gas pretty much everywhere," says Keith Lambert, CEO of InCheq, which provides digital transformation tools to the maintenance and service market. "Getting the general public past the fear of losing power is the key and goal to further expansion."
The specific training and certification path offered by SkillFusion is needed now more than ever. The Biden Administration recently announced the expansion of the EV charging infrastructure by 500,000 stations by 2030. In addition, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program is aiming high with a goal to fund a large-scale deployment of charging stations to maintain a 97% operational uptime. Given that, currently, up to 20% of all charging stations can be inoperable at any given time, the NEVI goal is considerably high.
"We see a ton of interest at various levels of government to support upskilling and entry-level training to allow their constituents access to this growing career opportunity," says Phillips. "More investment will always help this type of training reach more people, so we would always welcome further support."
Employment growth is expected for the EV and EVSE market—from manufacturing to technician work—but a lack of specifically skilled workers could slow that growth and stand in the way of further EV adoption in the near future due to limited operational infrastructure. A move to more EV adoption is a win for carbon emissions reduction, so an investment in a robust and operational infrastructure is significant.
Like with any new industry, however, there will be some growing pains—some of which are presently evident in the EV charging station issues that are causing so much havoc with EV drivers. SkillFusion is bringing solutions to these pain points and offering a clear path for technicians to upskill and grow a necessary extension of this clean energy industry.
The SkillFusion team is excited about the future of the EVSE market and their role within it. Early EV adopters, such as Lambert, are likely to see the benefit of what SkillFusion is bringing to the industry reflected in less "charging anxiety" and better uptime.
"As EVs become less of a unicorn concept and more normal and mainstream, the choices and options will continue to expand," Lambert says. "It's an exciting future ahead!"
