Canada’s mandate that by 2035 all new light-duty vehicle sales be zero-emission is leaving many Canadians anxious. So, the BCIT Fueling Change project developed four free open learning courses that are fully online to help ease the learning curve. Funded by a grant from Natural Resources Canada—Faculty experts from BCIT Applied Research and the BCIT School of Transportation created the courses to build awareness and public confidence in electric vehicle (EV) ownership, particularly in underrepresented communities. Industry partners and community collaborators including persons with disabilities, Indigenous persons, youth, and seniors with flexibility and age-related mobility challenges all helped to inform the content.
Everything you need to know about EVs
“BCIT has a lot of expertise in EV technology,” says Joey Dabell, Project Leader of SMART (Smart Microgrid Applied Research Team). “To get a fulsome understanding of EVs, it’s best to learn from educational institutions rather than skimming the internet,” she concludes. These BCIT EV courses are designed to meet the needs of several types of learners. Therefore, the courses’ themes cover everything from EV ownership, operation, and accessibility to infrastructure and industries, and future developments.
All the free EV courses in the Fueling Change program are BCIT-badged. They include:
- Purchasing and Driving an Electric Vehicle
- Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
- Electric Vehicle Industries
- Future Zero Emission Vehicle Developments (Future of EVs)
A growing need for professional EV education
“The Fueling Change EV courses are extremely popular,” says course designer Naveen Jit, Instructor with the BCIT School of Transportation. “They are trending ahead of typical completion rates for open learning.”
The courses were designed after a far-reaching survey captured the opinions of Canadians from across the country. Intending to identify perceptions and barriers in underrepresented communities, the survey response surpassed expectations. “This indicates the growing interest and concern about how the nation will meet its adoption targets,” Joey explains.
Joey and Naveen have noticed a surge in demand for these courses because training is not yet widely available in Canada. Participants include; automobile dealerships looking to help their clients transition to EVs, small and remote auto service shops whose employees are looking to upgrade their skills, companies looking to reduce their fleets’ carbon footprints, and individuals from Indigenous communities, rural, and Northern areas who want to understand the service capabilities in their regions.
As Canada quickly scales up the requirements for zero-emission vehicles, the Fueling Change EV courses will provide much-needed education, particularly in the remote regions of Canada. These four short courses provide the public with the education to participate confidently in a zero-emissions future.
Learn more about EV technician training options at BCIT.
About SMART
For more than a decade, BCIT Smart Microgrid Applied Research Team (SMART) has converged expertise in the information technology, communications engineering, and energy management fields to develop prototypes and solutions for complex applied research programs. SMART helps stimulate BCʼs economy through collaborative projects with other academic institutions, industry, and the government.
I am interested in the free EV Course
Hi Rossano, thanks for your interest. Take a look at some of the free EV courses offered via BCIT Free Online Learning.