Heartland Community College will expand its electric vehicle programs with the help of a $525,000 grant from the Illinois Community College Board.
The school on Raab Road in Normal already offers an associate applied science degree in electric vehicle technology as well as stackable certificates that include EV technology, EV maintenance and light repair, EV energy storage, and EV service advisor.
Heartland said it will use the state money to add medium-duty and heavy-duty EV technology and EV infrastructure courses and certificates.
REEC 256 Energy Storage and EV Chargers, which stacks into the Energy Systems Technology Skills certificate, will be first offered in Fall 24, a Heartland spokesperson said. An expanded EV Charging Infrastructure certificate and a Medium and Heavy-duty EV Technology certificate are targeted to offer starting in the Spring of 2026. Individual Heavy-Duty EV courses may be offered sooner as electives in the existing EV Technology program.
“The advanced manufacturing workforce has evolved into a place of technology and specialized skill,” said HCC president Keith Cornille. “With the rise of the EV technology, as well as robotics, automation, and more, it is imperative to expand educational pathways to give students the knowledge and training to fit the needs of these industries.”
The funding is part of a $9.4 million awarded to 25 Illinois community colleges through the Rev Up EV! Community College Initiative that supports the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. State policy calls on Illinois to transition to 100% clean energy by 2050.
Grantees must participate in the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN)-led IL EV Network, an industry collaborative of key stakeholders from industry, higher education, and state agencies.
“We are excited to work with these outstanding community colleges to discuss critical industry trends, talent needs in high-priority roles, systemwide strategies, barriers, solutions, and opportunities for collaboration to expand the EV-related advanced manufacturing workforce in Illinois,” said David Husemoller, executive director of IGEN.
Next month, Heartland will celebrate the opening of its Advanced Manufacturing Center. The 45,000-square-foot facility includes the State Farm EV Lab. A $7.5 million state grant partially funded construction of the facility, along with $1 million from the State Farm Companies Foundation.
Electric vehicle sales have jumped significantly in the last year, up 14 percent in 2022, more than 10 times their share in 2017.
