Centennial College is amping up its auto technician training program’s emphasis on electric vehicles.

Students starting the Centennial College School of Transportation’s Automotive-Motive Power Technician program will now be required to complete EV/hybrid courses as part of their training.

In a news release, the Toronto-based college said the new requirement, which took effect for the fall 2024 semester, is designed to accelerate the availability of automotive technicians with the ability to maintain and repair EVs and hybrid vehicles as they are added to Canadian roads by the hundreds of thousands.

Centennial cited Statistics Canada data showing more than 100,000 new vehicles in the battery electric, hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric categories were registered in the second quarter of 2024.

“We are ensuring new electric and hybrid vehicle technology is integrated with traditional vehicle systems in the classroom, just as it has been integrated together inside of today’s cars and trucks,” said Christopher Muir, a professor of EV/continuing education in the School of Transportation.

“We are building on the foundations of standard automotive training by teaching students how to work on high-voltage systems, covering everything from safety to software.”

Centennial College’s School of Transportation — the largest on-site transportation training facility in Canada — has provided EV and hybrid training it has provided for more than 15 years, giving students get hands-on experience working on a fleet that includes more than a dozen electrified vehicles, such as a 2018 Chevrolet Bolt, 2022 Toyota Prius and 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning.

The two-year Automotive-Motive Power Technician diploma program, with an optional co-op, is designed to help graduates fulfill requirements for Level One and Level Two Automotive Service Technician in-school apprenticeship training.

From there, they must complete additional steps, including on-the-job apprenticeship training and Level Three in-school apprenticeship training, to become a licensed automotive service technician in Ontario.

Centennial College also offers six part-time continuing education courses geared toward licensed technicians, available on both a corporate and individual basis, including High Voltage Safety and Hybrid Vehicle Systems, Hybrid and Electrical Vehicle Introductory Overview, High Voltage Supporting Systems, Batteries and Charging Systems, Inverters and Regenerative Braking, and Motor Operation and Diagnostics.

“By offering a variety of options for learning ─ on campus, at employer locations and eventually online — our electric and hybrid vehicle training allows automotive technicians to expand their skill set beyond traditional training,” School of Transportation associate dean of part-time learning Janna Erichsen said.

“Traditional training remains highly relevant regardless of what type of vehicle you’re maintaining or repairing, which is why it’s important for us to continue to educate aspiring and experienced technicians alike on all types of vehicles.”