In EV push, service technician course at ITIs launched

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19

Anticipating future demand for electric vehicle (EV) service technicians due to the Centre’s push for EVs, Punjab’s Technical Education and Industrial Training Department has started EV mechanic course at eight Industrial Training Institute (ITIs).

The course is already catching the attention of students during the ongoing admission session at the government run-ITIs. The department has reserved 384 seats for the course at the eight designated institutes. “The focus is on industry-driven courses and preparing students for radically changed skill sets. With this in mind, we are striving to make the ITIs resource centres for providing industry-relevant skilled workforce to various trades,” said Amit Talwar, Director, Technical Education.

The department is associating with vehicle manufacturers like Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki to invest in infrastructure upgrade at the ITIs under Central Government scheme to skill youth in collaboration with the industry. Through the scheme announced in the Union Budget this year, the department is eyeing Rs 8 crore infrastructure push from electric vehicle manufacturers.

“The focus is on outcome and quality of skilling, with course content and design aligned to the needs of the industry. As the Centre is working on creating a favourable regulatory framework to support EV innovation and development of electric vehicles, the demand for skilled EV technicians is set to increase in the future,” said officials handling the project in the department.

Quoting data, officials said the EV industry is expected to create around 20 million jobs by 2030, increasing the demand for in-house specialists such as EV technicians. There would be about a 40 per cent increase in demand for EV-related skills.