Free program aims to train Georgians in need of job support for careers in EV charging maintenance
A new workforce training program aims to help hundreds of job seekers begin a career in one of Georgia’s fastest-growing industries: electric vehicles.
Goodwill of North Georgia and professional services firm Accenture are partnering to train people in EV charger maintenance. The four-week training course will culminate in the cohort being placed at jobs with employers committed to paying living-wage salaries to graduates.
Georgia’s economic engine has switched from gasoline to electric in recent years, with the Peach State landing multi-billion dollar EV factories, dozens of part suppliers and battery makers. Jenny Taylor, vice president of career services at Goodwill of North Georgia, said the emerging industry needs specialized workers to repair and install chargers, especially with the federal government pumping billions of dollars into EV initiatives and infrastructure.
“We have this massive influx of infrastructure dollars and this huge transition to not focus on fossil fuels,” she said. “But we don’t have a workforce that’s trained for that.”
The initiative is called the Goodwill Clean Tech Infrastructure Accelerator, and the nonprofit’s career center in DeKalb County is among the program’s four launch locations this year. The Atlanta area center and one in Detroit will focus on EV charger maintenance. Locations in Houston and Nashville will train workers on electric heat pumps and solar panel maintenance, respectively.
While known for its franchise of thrift stores, Goodwill is among the country’s largest providers in free career assistance. More than 24,000 workers were trained or placed at jobs last year across Goodwill of North Georgia’s 14 career centers. Taylor said job assistance is available for anyone regardless of their education, literacy, housing status or criminal history.
“The only qualification to get services from Goodwill is motivation to work,” Taylor said. “If you don’t want a job, there’s nothing we can do to compel you.”
The first clean tech cohort in DeKalb starts Jan. 29, but Taylor said there’s already been strong interest among job applicants. The first class can hold 30 trainees, and Goodwill of North Georgia has funding for an additional 200 students, with subsequent classes scheduled to begin March 4 and April 8. Funding for the EV charging class was made possible through a $2 million federal grant facilitated by the Atlanta Regional Commission.
Taylor said workers don’t need to be electricians to fix most EV charger malfunctions, since the majority of issues are software related. The program will train workers in soft skills, such as reliability and customer service, along with digital literacy, electrical safety and how to fix chargers across multiple brands.
“The upward mobility that work like this provides our community is outstanding,” said Andrew Bailey, chief marketing officer for Atlanta-based EnviroSpark, which will install the chargers. “With Georgia and Atlanta being a hub for clean tech, that’s all the more reason why this is important.”
Workers will make $15 an hour during training, which Taylor said is offered to help reduce the barrier to entry for potential applicants. Program graduates will be placed in a job that starts at $20 an hour, with the option to get further training and an increased salary after a year on the job.
Goodwill wants to expand the program to 20 cities over the next seven years with the goal of training thousands of job seekers for clean tech careers.
“Our focus is not only on bridging the talent gap in the clean energy sector but also on transforming lives through meaningful employment,” Keith Parker, CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia, said in a news release.
Read the article on the AJC.
