January 17, 2024 — Detroit, MI — SkillFusion, a cutting-edge software platform for electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) operations and maintenance (O&M) providers, has been recognized by the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) for their recently launched EVSE Diagnostic Technician (EDT) training and certification program. EVITP supports SkillFusion’s responsible and market-focused training that clearly delineates non-electrical and electrical work for the safe installation and maintenance of EV charging stations (also known as EVSE), and the program’s connection to career pathways in the electrical industry.
“As the demand for public charging infrastructure continues to grow, we are beginning to see the stress fractures caused by the shortage of technicians prepared and certified to service the non-electrical faults in these chargers, said Bernie Kotlier, the national co-chair of EVITP. “The SkillFusion EDT program takes a responsible approach to training and certifying work-ready individuals to increase charger uptime and reliability across the U.S. and to connect them to career pathways in the electrical industry.”
SkillFusion, which launched its groundbreaking approach to EVSE O&M last year, provides a software platform that supports charger-agnostic skill enhancement and certification for the full spectrum of skills needed to support EV charger operations—including licensed electricians to perform electrical work, and technicians specializing in technical support, networking and communications, cybersecurity, and more. EVITP is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to training and certifying qualified electricians in EV infrastructure across the U.S. and Canada.
“With thousands of public charging stations in the country out of service for non-electrical faults and errors and a shortage of technicians available to service and fix the chargers, the opportunities for EVSE-certified technicians are essentially endless,” said Rue Phillips, Co-founder and President of SkillFusion. “SkillFusion will offer the most comprehensive O&M EVSE training available on the market today and is proud to be recognized by EVITP, the leader in EVSE training and certification.”
As working on EV charging stations can involve exposure to hazardous electrical power, EVITP and SkillFusion share a commitment to clearly distinguish electrical work that can only be safely performed by electricians, and non-electrical work that may be performed by technicians.
EVITP is the known leader in providing qualified electricians with the appropriate training and certifications to install and maintain EVSE infrastructure. The SkillFusion EDT program expands the effort to support the EV industry with intentional focus and commitment to recognizing the difference between non-electrician and electrical roles.
“Non-electricians carry out technical work such as networking and communications—which are major causes for EV charger failures. There needs to be a clear understanding and training of what a technician can do vs what an electrician can do within our EV charging infrastructure,” said Phillips.
The new SkillFusion training will provide the industry with a pipeline of certified non-electrical workers (EDTs), critical to the O&M sector of the EV charging industry. They will be connected to a network of service providers, electrical contractors, and career pathways in the electrical industry including work-based learning, pre-apprenticeships, and apprenticeships.
SkillFusion is already curating the most comprehensive set of competency training and credentials for electrical and non-electrical workers specially designed for the EVSE sector. Electricians interested in expanding their expertise to include the non-electrical side of EVSE O&M can access specialized training through SkillFusion and earn that certification as well. Upon completing the training, multi-skilled EVSE-certified electricians can register within SkillFusion’s portal—the largest database of EVSE technicians for hire—and start working with EV charger owners and operators quickly.
Additionally, non-electricians can apply for the new EDT credential while working within a growing, fast paced EV industry.
About SkillFusion
SkillFusion is a first-of-its-kind approach to providing electric vehicle operations and maintenance (O&M) service providers with access to a nation-wide credentialed talent pool for electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) O&M obligations. Through the company’s cross-sector training platform, SkillFusion is developing the largest talent pipeline of certified electrician and non-electrician workers available to EVSE O&M service providers with the mission of significantly minimizing charging infrastructure downtime and increasing the reliability of the charging network. The platform will substantially increase the availability of certified EVSE workers ensuring that service providers have flawless accessibility to the right trained service person for every job, every single time. To learn more about SkillFusion, visit www.SkillFusion.com.
About EVITP
The electrical vehicle market continues to expand in North America and it is critical that EVSE equipment be properly installed and maintained to the highest standards of safety and quality. The EVITP non-profit, industry collaborative program, founded in 2011, 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. For more information, visit www.EVITP.org.
