Ivy Tech auto students hope EV skills will help their careers
INDIANAPOLIS (MIRROR INDY) — When Diego Rivas heard about a new set of electric and hybrid vehicle classes at Ivy Tech Indianapolis, he jumped at the chance to enroll.
Now an apprentice at a Whitestown car dealership after finishing up Ivy Tech’s automotive technology program in December, he hopes that by building up his high-voltage skills — which are in demand — he’ll become an indispensable employee and get paid more.
The median annual wage for an auto technician is $47,770, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But EV techs earn over $10,000 more on average, jobs website ZipRecruiter says.
“Not a lot of people are practicing this skill,” the 21-year-old said. “It puts you ahead.”
Ivy Tech ramped up its electric and hybrid vehicle education at its Indianapolis facility with two new classes this fall. Students in the automotive technology program can learn about the unique features of electric and hybrid cars, as well as safety procedures and diagnostic tests.
This new curriculum aligns with Indiana’s efforts to become more EV-friendly. The state has already invested billions of dollars in electric vehicle manufacturing, including two Stellantis electric battery facilities in Kokomo, and the Indiana Department of Transportation plans to invest nearly $100 million in EV charging infrastructure.
Sales of electric vehicles in the U.S. hit a record high in 2023. Even as the incoming Trump administration prepares to roll back some of President Biden’s EV policies, there are still millions of hybrid and electric cars on the road — and at repair shops.
Because the technology around EVs and even hybrids is relatively new, a serious demand exists for auto technicians who are trained to repair these types of cars. Just 1.4% of auto technicians have EV-specific certifications, according to auto trade publication Automoblog — partially because the technology’s relatively new but also because technicians are intimidated by these vehicles.
By teaching the next generation of auto technicians how to work on hybrid and electric cars, Ivy Tech instructors hope to give their students a rare and valuable skill set that will help them succeed in the field.
“With the training that they get from us and then some experience at the shop that they’re working at,” instructor Keith Huettl said, “there’s no end to where their career can go.”
Safety skills first
“Safety first” is the unofficial motto for Huettl’s advanced hybrid and electric vehicles class.
Working on an electric car can be dangerous, especially when technicians aren’t properly trained. A standard gas-powered car contains a 12-volt battery, while hybrid car batteries can be up to 300 volts and electric car batteries as high as 800 volts. Any amount above 50 volts is considered dangerous.
“We spent probably more time covering the safety stuff and what the manufacturers have built into the vehicle to protect technicians than we would have spent on the fundamental safety in any other classes,” Huettl said.
The class meets one day a week for eight hours to accommodate working students. Although there’s a classroom discussion element, students spend most of their time getting hands-on experience with several common models of hybrid and electric cars, including a Toyota Prius and a Chevy Bolt.
“What we teach in our independent program is to be able to diagnose and service all manufacturers’ vehicles,” Huettl said. “So by extension, in our hybrid classes, we spread the experiences around.”
The course isn’t for beginning students — it’s necessary to have a fundamental knowledge of electrical systems, brakes and steering. Huettl’s class is laser-focused on what makes electric and hybrid cars different from gas-powered vehicles: the motor and the battery.
By the end of the class, students should be able to safely disable an electric or hybrid car’s high-voltage battery, as well as run tests and diagnose problems with the vehicle.
“Realistically, it’s an application of what they already know to a different system,” Huettl said.
Automotive technology students can take the class as an elective course, but they can also bundle it with other core classes to earn a hybrid and electric vehicle certificate.
Going forward, program chair Jeff Evans plans to offer the new hybrid and EV classes each fall.
“Technicians that know how to do this are needed, and they want to be out there doing it,” Evans said. “They see a niche to make money. They love that technology that they’re going to learn.”
Fixing the future
When Blake Neal’s working on an electric car, he’s conscious of the stakes of what he’s doing.
As Neal’s working to disconnect a high-voltage battery — what he calls a “bomb” — he’s constantly thinking about the hundreds of volts of electricity under the car’s hood.
“This is so serious,” the 20-year-old said. “You have to be super, super careful.”
Although students like Neal certainly pick up on the dangers associated with working on high voltage systems, they also become more comfortable throughout the semester.
That’s certainly been the case for Ethan Miller. He was feeling stuck in his career as a midlevel technician when he came to Ivy Tech, hoping to build up his electrical skills.
After two years in the technician program and a semester of EV and hybrid training, Miller’s seeing that investment pay off. He was promoted to drivability specialist at an Anderson auto shop, working with engines and ignition systems, and he got a significant pay bump.
Miller also is the only employee at his job who is trained to work on hybrid and electric cars.
“It’s helped me a lot in my work,” the 32-year-old said. “I’ve gotten where I want to go in my professional career.”
Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire at claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org or on Instagram/X/Bluesky @clairerafford.