Montreal, November 20, 2023— Élexpertise – Sectoral Workforce Committee of the Electrical and Electronic Industry, with the support of Propulsion Québec and the participation of Cégep de St-Jérôme, today publishes a mapping of training needs and new skills for occupations related to the design and manufacture of electric vehicles.
"The training of talent, the transfer of skills and the alignment between training programs and companies' workforce needs are winning conditions for accelerating the electric transportation ecosystem. We had to begin by mapping training needs and new occupations by sub-sector to allow us to better define the industry's needs and to maintain our lead in positioning Quebec on the international stage", declares Michelle LLambias-Meunier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Propulsion Québec
"The publication of the mapping is a crucial step in understanding and preparing the market. It highlights the fundamental importance of anticipating the specific skills needs of this constantly evolving industry. At Élexpertise, we are committed to supporting professional development and responding to the growing demands of the electric vehicle sector by ensuring appropriate training and preparing a qualified workforce for the challenges of tomorrow",declares Jacques Boudreau, Executive Director of Élexpertise
Consolidating existing training
According to stakeholders in the transport electrification sector, initial training programs at the university, college and vocational levels in Quebec provide a good basis for acquiring generic skills. However, skills specific to electric transport are too often absent. In this study, Élexpertise lists the training topics to be enhanced, notably basic training on electric vehicles (EVs) and on high-voltage batteries.
Academic knowledge related to the profession of transport electrification will require an enhancement of the academic offer, particularly regarding Li‑Ion batteries, high-voltage (HV) battery assembly, health and safety rules related to the assembly, handling and storage of these batteries, as well as the different components of an HV battery and understanding how they operate. The study also supports the creation of a DEC program in transport electrification techniques as well as additional courses within certain existing university programs.
Spotlight on future skills and occupations in Electric and Intelligent Transportation (EIT)
Priority occupations stand out to promote the acceleration of the electric transition in transport: mechanical engineers and technicians, electrical engineers and technicians, assemblers and systems engineers. The study also identified a new emerging job title still little used within companies: electric vehicle technician. Some tasks related to EVs require specialized technicians.
"The mapping of training needs is a first step to respond to the workforce requirements of the Electric and Intelligent Transportation ecosystem. Propulsion Québec wishes to collaborate with other partners to map the training and skills needs of other subsectors of transport electrification.", declares Alexis Lapres-Paradis, Director, Workforce & Financing – Propulsion Québec
About Propulsion Québec
The Quebec cluster for electric and intelligent transportation mobilizes all actors in the sector around concerted projects aimed at positioning Quebec among the leaders in the development and implementation of land transport modes that favor electric and intelligent transportation. Created in 2017, Propulsion Québec now has more than 260 members from various sectors and deploys its resources across seven distinct workstreams aimed at developing and supporting innovative projects. The cluster benefits from the financial support of the Government of Quebec, the Government of Canada, the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM), the City of Quebec, the Desjardins Group, Fasken, Hydro‑Québec, Québecor and the CDPQ.
About Élexpertise
The sectoral workforce committee of the electrical and electronic industry, Élexpertise, works to bring together all stakeholders in the electrical and electronic industry. It identifies industry requirements, fosters agreement, promotes, supports and collaborates in workforce development so that the entire Quebec workforce can benefit from the work of the various sectoral committees. We work with companies classified under the following NAICS codes: manufacturing of computer and electronic products (NAICS 334) [excluding the manufacture of navigation and guidance instruments (NAICS 334511), manufacture of electrical equipment, appliances and components (NAICS 335), wholesale merchants of electrical wire and construction supplies (NAICS 41611) and repair and maintenance of household appliances (NAICS 811412)].
About Cégep de Saint-Jérôme
Cégep de Saint‑Jérôme is a higher education institution located in the heart of the Laurentians in Quebec. It is dedicated to providing quality education and encouraging innovation, research and development across a wide range of fields, while relying on a remarkable architectural infrastructure.
