With society moving away from fossil fuels, America is facing a shortage of the skilled workers needed to support its shift to electric vehicles and other forms of electrification. Some experts foresee a 200,000-job gap in the number of electricians required by 2030, based on retirement rates and the Bureau of Labor’s estimate that electrician jobs will grow 9.1% annually between 2020 and 2030.
Today at the Schneider Innovation Summit, Qmerit is announcing a collaboration with the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) to help reverse that shortfall by offering EVITP instruction and certification to their electrician network.
Qmerit is North America’s leading provider of installation services for EV charging and other electrification technologies. EVITP is a volunteer-based, nonprofit EV industry organization that typically provides training through community colleges, industry centers and utility-supported venues.
The collaboration expands access to the EVITP curriculum and testing needed for EVITP certification by making them available through the Qmerit Resource Center (QRC), an online training portal for Qmerit’s certified electrician network spanning the U.S. and Canada. EVITP certification is often required to work on EV charging installations that come through utility programs or that will be supported by the just-passed Inflation Reduction Act.
Electricians who obtain their EVITP certification through the QRC will not only have access to a more streamlined, digital version of the program, but opportunities to put that knowledge to work right away. Qmerit performs thousands of EV charging installations per month through direct sales and partnerships with automakers, charger manufacturers, utilities and corporate fleet managers.
“Qmerit is proud to join forces with EVITP to help reduce the shortage of skilled EV charging technicians – an issue that has largely flown under the radar but is pivotal to the EV sector’s growth,” said Qmerit founder and CEO Tracy K. Price. “We urgently need to expand the ranks of skilled electricians if we’re to create and support the charging infrastructure required for a massive shift to EVs. If we don’t do the former, the latter becomes impossible.”
“We don’t want the demand for EVs to get way out in front of the supply of electricians with the training required to install and maintain the needed charging infrastructure,” said Bernie Kotlier, national co-chair of EVITP. “Our industry collaboration with Qmerit, and Qmerit’s role as an EVITP partner advisor, reflects the kind of strategic thinking we need to address this issue – to flip it from a challenge into an opportunity for employment and career growth during times of economic uncertainty.”
“The Schneider Innovation Summit offers an important platform to spotlight this issue,” said Price. “The Summit is convening stakeholders across sectors to showcase ways businesses and society can shift to the cleaner, more sustainable option of electrical energy. We’re excited to announce here a new endeavor that can impact that goal.”
Qmerit is North America’s leading provider of implementation solutions for EV charging and other energy transition technologies, simplifying the adoption of electrification for residential and business markets. Qmerit’s value-driven services are delivered through a network of company-owned contractors, independent Certified Solutions Partners, and Certified Installers skilled in system implementation and integration. For more information, visit https://qmerit.com/, and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
The electrical vehicle market continues to expand in North America and it is critical that EVSE equipment be properly installed to the highest standards of safety and quality. The EVITP program was designed to provide qualified electricians with the most comprehensive training available in the market today. All EVITP Certified Electricians must pass a certification exam for proof of knowledge and skill.