Dundee & Angus College Launches Green Skills Fund to Support EV Training and Decarbonisation of Transport

The initiative, backed by £100,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, offers fully funded electric vehicle (EV) training courses for mechanics, technicians, and electricians in the Dundee City Council area.

The Green Skills Fund will provide essential skills in EV repair and maintenance for mechanics and technicians, as well as training for electricians to install EV charging points. This initiative aims to equip local businesses with the expertise needed to support the growing demand for electric vehicles and their infrastructure.

Additionally, the training suite includes the Level 1 Award in Electric/Hybrid Vehicle Awareness. This course is available to individuals and businesses that work around or use EVs as company cars, such as drivers, valeters, sales personnel, and support staff. The awareness training ensures that these employees can operate or work around electric vehicles safely, meeting health and safety requirements.

Starting in August 2024, these EV training courses will be held at The Skills Academy at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP), a Centre for Excellence in green skills and evolving technologies created through a partnership between Dundee and Angus College and MSIP.

Caryn Gibson, Business Partnerships Manager at Dundee and Angus College, explained the motivation behind launching the Green Skills Fund: “We launched the Green Skills Fund to address the growing need for expertise in electric vehicle technologies now and to support the region's transition to sustainable transport.

“By offering fully funded training, we aim to empower local businesses with the skills necessary to thrive in a green economy, ultimately contributing to the decarbonisation of our transport sector and creating a more sustainable future for everyone.”

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) predicts that by 2030, 103,000 TechSafe qualified technicians will be needed across the UK to meet the growing EV demand, increasing to 139,000 by 2032. Currently, only 18% of all technicians in the UK are trained to work safely on electric vehicles, highlighting a potential skills shortage if current training rates are maintained.

Fair Work, Economic Growth, and Infrastructure Convener, Steven Rome said: “Dundee is a leader in the world of electric vehicles, with a fleet of over 220 EVs, and we are growing our city-wide infrastructure to support the increasing number of EVs in the city.

“That is why having a partnership like this is so vital, we need the right skills in the city to cope with the increasing number of EVs in the city. We want to stay ahead of the curve and this new partnership will allow us to have trained people in the city to repair and maintain EVs and install vital EV infrastructure in the city.”

The Greens Skills Fund will be launched at a free event at the Skills Academy at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc in Dundee on 22^nd August 5-7pm. Businesses and professionals interested in the training opportunities it provides are encouraged to attend the event to learn more and how they can apply for these fully funded places.

Register for the event here.