Government Is Urged To Provide More Training Centres For EV workers

As the number of electric vehicles on our roads grows, a workforce with the knowledge to repair and maintain them will be required.

However, there are fears that a skills gap will emerge in the near future, causing major problems for both the automotive industry and drivers.

The government has been urged to establish more training facilities in order to produce skilled labour in the automotive industry, particularly in the field of electric vehicles (EV).

Azreen Men, chairman of the Johor Bumiputera Automotive and Tyre Association, said the presence of Tesla was a sign that the country's automotive industry needed to be revamped.

“It is important to have a strong foundation, and the foundation starts with training the current and future industry workers on EV technology.

“Currently, there are only a handful of places offering such training, and the courses are expensive.

“We need to spend more than RM2,000 per worker for an EV course in Kuala Lumpur,” he told The Star.
Azreen suggested that the government reduce training costs by organising a mobile workshop in each state.
“The government can hire an expert or partner up with an EV company that will go around the country to provide hands-on training for industry players.

Azreen said the government should look into placing more charging stations in the country too, as EV batteries take a long time to fully charge.

“More users means more waiting, and this translates to the need for more charging stations.

“Users will eventually push for more fast-charging stations to be installed, though they are more expensive compared to slow chargers,” he added.

Azreen believes that government agencies must ensure that all industry players, not just start-ups, benefit from all incentives.

“The government could inadvertently hurt the industry by not providing help for established businesses while only giving opportunities to the new ones.

“In reality, some of these established businesses also need guidance and help to grow and improve,” he said.