New North American Program Will Develop a
Highly Skilled Domestic EV/Battery Workforce
CHICAGO, March 24,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) and Stellantis today announced the launch of the Battery
Workforce Challenge, which includes a three-year collegiate
engineering competition; vocational training; youth education in
science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); and career and
technical education.
DOE has set a bold target to address the climate crisis and puts
our nation on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide,
by 2050 for the benefit of all Americans. Key to this target goal
are the design and development of advanced batteries to electrify
the transportation and energy sectors and a highly skilled domestic
workforce with the hands-on experience and knowledge needed for
in-demand positions throughout the EV/battery industry.
Managed by Argonne National Laboratory for DOE and co-sponsored
by Stellantis, this government and industry partnership will build
the next generation of engineers, technicians, and workers to
address the unprecedented demand for a domestic EV/Battery
workforce.
"American leadership in the global battery supply chain will be
based not only on our innovation, but also on our skilled workforce
of engineers, designers, scientists, production workers, and
technicians," said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainable
Transportation and Fuels at the U.S. Department of Energy,
Michael Berube. "This comprehensive
workforce program will build an educational ecosystem delivering
training and education for high school graduates, and vocational
and transitional workers, fostering a diverse talent pipeline of
trained engineers, workers and technicians who can charge
North America's battery industry
forward."
Kicking off in fall 2023, the Battery Workforce Challenge
includes an advanced battery design and development student
competition series that invites universities and vocational schools
from across North America to
design, build, test and integrate an advanced EV battery into a
future Stellantis vehicle.
"With our Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis is
taking a leadership role in decarbonization that will drive us to
become an industry champion in the fight against climate change,
reaching carbon net zero emissions by 2038," said Mark Stewart, Stellantis North America Chief
Operating Officer. "The Battery Workforce Challenge will help
train the engineers of tomorrow and is a win-win for Stellantis and
the entire battery industry as we address our nation's
toughest energy and mobility challenges by helping to build a
highly skilled and productive future workforce."
Teams will follow real-world industry milestones focused on
battery design, simulation, controls development, testing, and
vehicle integration and demonstration. Participants will also learn
valuable project management, communications, teamwork, and
problem-solving skills that will provide unparalleled educational
experience and ready them for future careers throughout the battery
industry.
Additional workforce and education initiatives will complement
the challenge, including a national Career-Connected Learning
Management System to provide flexible, accessible, and equitable
training for learners across the education pipeline, as well as
high school graduates and transitional workers, to connect
participants to top jobs from the nation's leading automotive and
battery employers.
"We're excited to welcome 11 teams to participate in the Battery
Workforce Challenge, which is a great opportunity for college and
vocational students to experience high-impact collaborations," said
Paul Kearns, director at Argonne
National Laboratory. He added, "Argonne is pleased to manage
this competition, which supports both advanced battery innovations
and the development of the next generation of battery researchers
and professionals."
Argonne is now accepting applications from colleges and
universities to select up to 11 teams that will participate in the
Battery Workforce Challenge collegiate and vocational
program. Proposals may be submitted from four-year
universities located in the continental United States that are accredited by the
Accreditation Board of Engineering Technology (ABET), and four-year
universities located in Canada
that are accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board
(CEAB). Non-accredited schools such as community colleges, trade
schools, and apprenticeship programs may participate as a partner
to an accredited university as part of the vocational collaboration
requirement.
For more background about the Battery Workforce Challenge,
please visit www.battchallenge.org.
Stellantis North America
Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the world's leading automakers
and a mobility provider. In North
America, it's best known for producing and selling vehicles
in a portfolio of iconic and award-winning brands such as Jeep®,
Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Alfa Romeo and Fiat. Powered by its
diversity, Stellantis leads the way the region and the world move –
aspiring to become the greatest sustainable mobility tech company,
not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders as
well as the communities in which it operates. For more information,
visit www.stellantis.com.
Follow company news and video on:
Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Company website: www.stellantis.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/Stellantis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StellantisNA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellantisna
Twitter: @StellantisNA
YouTube: http://youtube.com/StellantisNA
Contact: Kimberly DeClark,
ANL
(202) 441-0096
Dan Reid, Stellantis
(248) 202-7697
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SOURCE Battery Workforce Challenge