Tesda to train electric vehicle technicians

By Ernie Delgado

LEGAZPI CITY --- As more individuals shift toward electric vehicles (EVs), the government agency responsible for technical education has developed a training curriculum for technicians who can service these vehicles.

Joel Navarro, the regional operations chief of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Bicol, said that this curriculum will serve as a foundation for training regulations, enabling TESDA centers to conduct free EV training seminars.

Navarro emphasized that skills in the repair and maintenance of EVs are among the top competencies that TESDA plans to promote.

“That is one of the competency standards identified in the skills priority list, which aligns with the emerging skills in the Bicol region, particularly in Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte provinces,” he explained at a recent forum with the media in Legazpi City.

“With the growing number of EVs, we need more technicians who are knowledgeable about electric vehicles,” he added.

As of 2023, the Philippines has over 16,000 registered EVs on the road, according to the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines.

This number is expected to rise significantly in the coming years, as the Department of Energy’s Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry aims for 2.4 million EVs on the road by 2028.

According to www.industry.gov.ph, a website run by the Department of Trade and Industry, 28 firms manufacture EVs in the country, supported by 11 parts manufacturers and seven importers.

To meet the demand for technicians who understand the intricacies of electric drivetrains, battery systems, and high-voltage components of EVs, TESDA is investing in a workforce training program.

This program will train technicians to handle the complexities of repairing and maintaining EVs, including cars, jeepneys, motorcycles, tricycles, scooters, bicycles, and boats, according to Navarro.

Navarro said the curriculum will be promoted to private schools to encourage their participation in EV repair training.

Lucero Cervantes from Aroroy, Masbate, is among many Bicolanos who aspire to own an EV but hesitate due to a lack of after-sales service in his province.

Navarro’s announcement has rekindled Cervantes’ dream of owning an electric vehicle.

“With TESDA training EV technicians, it will assure EV buyers that after-sales service will be available in our province,” Cervantes, who watched the forum on live stream, said.

Joyce Bermas, a manager of an EV dealership in Masbate, praised TESDA for its initiative to train technicians for EV repair.

“Having knowledgeable EV technicians available in the province will help safeguard the growth of the EV industry,” she noted. (PIA5/Masbate)