As electric cars
grow in popularity, the question of how and when to transition the workforce
looms over the industry. While many of the adjustments have already started in factories and on assembly lines across the country, the college classroom is an unexpected arena where big changes are taking place.
The car ownership experts at Jerry
took a closer look at the industry and the crucial role that universities play in the talent pool. The next gen of auto workers start at universities
A recent story in NPR
highlighted major changes happening in automotive engineering schools across the country. At the University of Michigan, for example, not one student signed up for an automatic transmissions course last year. Typically, classes like that would draw 80 or more students.
Alternatively, the university is now offering more courses related to electrical engineering and battery-powered systems, but finding teachers in such a new field is another story.
"We can't find anybody who is teaching systems engineering for software and that's the key issue," Arthur Hyde, director of the automotive engineering program at the University of Michigan as reported by NPR.
"Some of the larger universities are recognizing they're behind," said Craig DeWald, Ford's Chief Learning Officer to NPR. "They've got to catch up and they've got their own learning to do to really sort of come along and continue to be relevant in the way the world is changing."
Change for auto workers is happening fast
Many of Ford’s factories, like the ones that produce the electrified F-150 Lightning, have already started the process of retraining engineers to work on electric cars, but simply retraining existing employees isn’t enough.
"For the speed that we need to move and the expertise that we need, we probably don't have the luxury of the time it will take to do all of that re-skilling," said DeWald. "We're being strategic about going out and bringing in key talent."
To meet demand, both U.S. automakers and universities are looking to import overseas talent. Engineers that spent years developing gas engines and classic transmissions could also be vulnerable to layoffs in order to make room for more electric expertise.
According to Hyde, things in the university sector are looking similar. A growing number of students and teachers are coming from places like China and India, where there are a greater number of engineering centers that exclusively write software.
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MORE: Will the Electric Vehicle Revolution Leave Michigan Behind?
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