The electric-vehicle revolution is here. But will there be enough workers?

The fast-evolving electric vehicle industry in Southwestern Ontario will be challenged by a skilled worker shortage, as the industry is moving faster than the job training programs to feed it, a recent report says.

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A survey by the Smart Prosperity Institute found two-thirds of respondents identified a “lack of appropriate education and training options” for workers in the industry.

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In addition, more than half, 58.3 per cent, cited “a lack of reskilling and retraining options for current workers” as another problem.

That could become a critical concern for the London area and Windsor that are leading the EV revolution in Canadian manufacturing. PowerCo, a Volkswagen EV battery manufacturer, expects to begin production in St. Thomas in 2027 at a $7-billion plant and Stellantis in Windsor will open a $5-billion plant in 2024.

The good news is worker shortages can be solved, but the industry has to move quickly, said John McNally, program director for skills at the Smart Prosperity Institute, an economic research agency based at the University of Ottawa.

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“There are thousands of investments that can create jobs, but the workforce challenge is a real one,” he said.

“It is solvent. This is a navigable challenge and it can be overcome, but it has to be taken seriously. The industry has to do more than put out an ad and hope for the best.”

The research is based on surveys, interviews, and discussions with those in the automotive industry and included workshops held in London and Windsor.

The report’s findings are not a surprise to those working to train Ontario’s workforce. Fanshawe College is aware of the looming challenge and is developing worker training programs for the EV sector it will launch in the fall, said Carl Mendonca, associate dean of the school of transportation technology and apprenticeships.

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“We are working with all our partners in London and area. We are well-positioned to support the new factories and manufacturing coming to Southwestern Ontario,” he said.

“Part of our mandate is driven by employers to produce a certain type of employee. We are open to that.”

Fanshawe, in 2024, will offer a diploma in a new energy vehicle technician program that will include existing robotic programs and hybrid electric battery technician training, Mendonca said.

“Part of it is upskilling employees working in the industry. We have partners we do this for” that he would not identify due to confidentiality agreements, he said.

“We make sure students study the latest technology.”

But the schools also need manufacturers to come to the table and lay out exactly what they need, Mendonca said.

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“I believe it can be done. We are big, but we are also nimble and can respond; we can help.”

The big difference in skills requirement is around the powertrain. The EV does not have an internal combustion engine, instead using motors powered by a battery pack, the Smart Prosperity Institute report said.

“Certain occupations and sectors will see increases in demand, especially those with electrical and chemical expertise. Jobs like controls technicians, chemical engineers, electrical and electronics engineers, industrial engineers, materials engineers, manufacturing technologists, mechanical engineering technicians, and software developers have been identified as key occupations for the future of ZEV (zero emissions vehicles) and battery manufacturing,” the report said.

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“Workers in these sectors will therefore need to upskill to add new skills or knowledge areas to their existing knowledge bases or potentially reskill from one occupation into another.”

In addition to manufacturing, the EV industry will need high-level research and development. Schools such as Western University will play a role, said Kapil Lakhotia, chief executive of the London Economic Development Corp.

“Developing the skill and talent required for the EV sector is top of mind for most communities; workforce development is paramount for suppliers and manufacturers,” he said.

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The economic development agency in Windsor has developed the EV careers program, a partnership between community groups and schools, to help address the need.

London may look to create something similar, Lakhotia said.

“There is growing demand for technology in the EV space and research and development is paramount as the industry is in its infancy,” he said.

The industry already is changing with research into different forms of battery technology such as solid state, making engineering excellence critical.

In Windsor, St. Clair College will offer an electric vehicle technician program that is a two-year program certificate of electric vehicle fundamentals.

The University of Windsor has established a hybrid and green energy research lab that focuses on EV research. In 2021, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), a federal agency, awarded Windsor more than $1 million for the three-year project in research to improve electric drive systems.

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It is “early days,” McNally said, but the Smart Prosperity Institute is encouraged by recent efforts at some colleges and schools to train workers for the electric vehicle industry.

“The analysis we did showed that a lot of workers have the foundational skills they need. It is a case of not full retraining, but upskilling,” he said.

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Ontario’s electric vehicle sector:

• Stellantis and LG Energy Solutions: A $5-billion battery cell factory in Windsor.
• General Motors: $2.3-billion investment in upgrades to its Brampton plant and Cami Assembly in Ingersoll, where EV batteries will be assembled.
• Ford Motor Co.‘s $1.8 billion retooling of its Oakville plant
• Volkswagen‘s $7-billion battery manufacturing plant in St. Thomas, operated by its subsidiary PowerCo.
• During the past two years, the province has attracted more than $16 billion in investments from global automakers.

Electric vehicles will create demand for:

• Chemical engineers
• Electrical and electronics engineers
• Industrial engineers
• Material engineers
• Manufacturing technologists
• Mechanical engineering technicians
• Software developers

Source: Smart Prosperity Institute

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