Sinclair program wants to get mechanics the know-how to work on EVs safely

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — With the age of EVs and hybrids fast approaching, there’s a growing need for well-trained mechanics to work on them safely. An electrifying initiative by a local school is looking to help.

Sponsored by a federal grant, Sinclair Community College’s three-day instructional getaway is teaching mechanical instructors the proper way to teach students how to safely work on electric and hybrid vehicles.

“They’re really gonna take what they’ve learned here at Sinclair and take it back and incorporate it into their schools,” said Justin Morgan. “When you run an automotive technology program, you need to make sure your graduates are prepared to service all kinds of vehicles.”

According to the Department of Energy, there are nearly 3.3 million battery electric vehicles on the road in the United States as of May 2024. That’s up from just 1.3 million in 2021.

A similar study found that hybrid electric vehicles alone make up 16% of all light vehicles on the road.

With the voltage of EV batteries on the rise — some reaching as high as 800 volts – safety is of utmost importance.

“We’re trying to get young people excited about technology, telling people how to be safe, but then also when you go back to your schools to not make it so scary that nobody wants to do any of these actions and lab tasks,” said Morgan.

An instructor from New Jersey participating in the Sinclair program is excited to be learning about the bleeding-edge technology, and then to take it back to his own students.

“This is hugely important with the changing automotive industry,” said automotive instructor Anthony Iannuzzi. “This technology needs to be understood from a safety aspect.”

This is the second year of the program, and Sinclair is hoping to continue it for a third. To that end, it is looking for 40 new applicants for the next session.

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