Diploma in Electric Drive Vehicle Technician

St. Clair College

This diploma program will prepare a student for a career as an Electric Vehicle Technician in the maintenance, service and repair of electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). The first year of this program will introduce students to the aspects of electric vehicle theoretical and practical fundamentals. Upon completion of the first year, the student will obtain a certificate in Electric Vehicle Fundamentals and may choose to seek employment in the industry as a service maintenance helper or enter an apprenticeship program. The student may also continue into the 2nd year and obtain the Electric Vehicle Technician diploma.In the second year of the program, the student's theoretical knowledge and practical skills will be enhanced with a focus on topics such as EV powertrains, energy storage systems, electric machines, power electronic modules, thermal management systems, power and digital electronics, electric vehicle sensors/actuators, electric vehicle low-voltage/high-voltage charging, and electric vehicle computer network communication. This will enable the student to apply problem-solving strategies associated with software, firmware and hardware used in automotive electric vehicle architecture.Career OpportunitiesUpon completion, graduates may find employment opportunities in Automotive Service Technician (NOC 7321) or Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technician (NOC 2241) occupational areas.According to Canada Job Bank trend analysis, the employment demand over the period of 2019-2028 will range from Fair to Good both NOC 7321 and NOC 2241 occupations. The majority of job openings are projected to arise from employment growth and retirements, as well as transition to more efficient and environmentally responsible means of transportation.Some examples of employment opportunities for graduates from this program will be in the area of connected vehicles, the autonomous vehicle, cybersecurity, and electrified powertrains. Positions could be focused on: Service/Repair and testing EV systems and subsystems, local charging systems infrastructure implementation/repair, ICE to EV conversions, and maintenance and repair of EV systems. Some examples of employers are PEM Motion, RIMAC, Ettractive, Potential Motors, MTB Transit, and major OEMs (Ford/Stellantis/Honda/Toyota).

School of Skilled Trades