CLC supports Electric Vehicle program with $525k
As the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) continues to rise, automotive programs at institutions such as the College of Lake County (CLC) in Grayslake are receiving financial support to align with evolving technology.
As part of the Illinois Climate Equitable Jobs Act, the Illinois Community College Board’s Rev Up EVs at Community Colleges initiative has chosen 25 institutions to receive subsidies. One of the colleges is CLC. This state-run initiative aims to promote the shift to a green economy and lower carbon emissions.
Students who are interested in working with cars will have access to more tools, cars, and options as a result of this. With 4,998 received from the award, CLC, which has been wishing to expand its electric car education, is one of the larger grantees.
The department co-chair and automotive technology instructor, Felipe Valtierra, said,” We want to make sure our students will be able to work on anything.” He further added, “We’re training our students to work in the industry.”
The surge in EV popularity is evident, with CarEdge reporting that in 2023, nearly 1.2 million electric vehicles were sold in the U.S., marking the first time sales surpassed the 1 million mark. The 8.1% market share of fully electric vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2023 also set a record, according to CarEdge.
The Illinois Green Economy Network and the community college board have teamed up to oversee teacher training materials throughout the entire state. Training areas include EV battery safety, passenger and heavy-duty EV maintenance and installation, and maintenance of EV charge stations, as explained by David Husemoller, the Executive Director of IGEN.
Leading figures in education and business will get together at IGEN to align training and educational needs with industry demands. Innovative courses developed by the group will be available for enrollment at community colleges around the state.
At CLC, electric and hybrid vehicle education is currently integrated into the general automotive curriculum. Still, the award will help these options become more specialized and expanded.
“We’re going to take all that curriculum and offer it as a stand-alone course,” automotive technology instructor Valtierra said. “We haven’t been able to teach a whole class on EVs or hybrids because we don’t have enough tools.”
Distinct from many community colleges, CLC provides associate degrees and certificates in both traditional automotive and auto collision repair. With approximately 530 students enrolled in these programs, housed in separate locations on the Grayslake campus, specific protective equipment and tools are required for working on electric and hybrid vehicles. The grant is intended to support both programs by enabling the purchase of specialized equipment, the creation of new curricula, and the provision of more EV vehicles for hands-on learning.
“We’ll get a lot more of the special service tools,” said Derrek Keesling, auto department co-chair. “We want the ability to be able to drop these batteries, and you need a special lift.”
Insulated tools and gloves are necessary for protection against high voltage, with the latest diagnostic scan tool costing around $10,000.
In the auto tech and auto collision repair departments at CLC, Keesling expressed optimism about the potential for increased interest and enrollment in noncredit, dual credit, and college credential offerings. ” It’s a very big opportunity to expand the program and deliver the latest technology to the students,” Keesling stated.
