Wolverhampton has become home to the UK’s first EV training centre following funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
The new centre, based at City of Wolverhampton College, opened its doors on 25 February.
WMCA said the facility aims to give local people the specialist skills needed to work on EVs as currently only one in 20 mechanics working in garages and dealerships are qualified to maintain and repair EVs. It has therefore provided £250,000 investment to the centre to address the skills gap.
Over the next 18 months, the centre aims to train some 720 residents across a range of skill levels. WMCA said the need for skilled EV mechanics is expected to grow significantly in the run-up to the government’s ban on new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.
It added the centre will also help the region achieve its own zero-carbon target by 2041.
Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The green industrial revolution is coming, and I am confident that our region is best placed in the UK to lead it.
“We are already home to the country’s biggest car manufacturer, Europe’s largest research centre, the UK’s only battery industrialisation centre, and a world-leading supply chain – and only last week published our plans to develop a Gigafactory in the region, which would create more than 4,000 new jobs.
“Green technology will also play a vital part in our region’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, especially as we know that many people have sadly lost their jobs or are feeling uncertain about their future prospects.”
Furthermore, those trained at the centre will be supported into work through the Wolves at Work partnership between City of Wolverhampton Council, the Department for Work and Pensions and employers as well as training and skills providers.
Ian Brookfield, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, added: “The training centre will enable people to start a new career or upskill and our outstanding Wolves at Work employment programme, with its dedicated work coaches, will be on hand to connect those who qualify with jobs.”
All candidates who complete the training will gain a qualification from the Institute of the Motor Industry.
