MWCC expands automotive program to include electric vehicles
In response to the increase in automotive student enrollment and the demand for technicians trained in both gas and electric vehicles, Mount Wachusett Community College has expanded the Automotive Technology Center.
On Thursday, Oct. 2, MWCC automotive students, administration, and local officials celebrated the grand opening of the Automotive campus expansion at 42 Linus Allian Ave in Gardner.
The facility underwent renovations that added over 1,700 square feet of instructional garage space, allowing more students to enroll in the program and store brand-new equipment specifically designed for working on electric vehicles. The entire project was funded through state grants, private grants, and local donations, totaling $875,000.
Kia USA, Townsend Ford, Subaru of New England, and Mercedes-Benz USA are the workforce partners that donated vehicles to the automotive program. Kia USA donated a 2026 EV9 prototype to the new EV curriculum at the college; the other vehicles are gas-powered.
Eric Almeida, professor and automotive program chair, said that these renovations were essential for the education of automotive students and would not have been possible without the funding from the state Skills Capital Grant, the National Science Foundation three-year grant, the grant from the George I. Alden Trust, and support from local workforce partners.
“New advancements are changing every day, and if we want to prepare our students for the workforce, we need the best possible education,” he said. “As hybrids and EV technology hit the mainstream, it’s a necessity for them to learn both. Now there is a demand for technicians to know how to work with hybrids, electric, and gas vehicles.”
An increased need for hybrid technicians
Initially, MWCC automotive students were hesitant about expanding their curriculum to include EV training. Almedia said his students love the sounds of gas-powered cars, but after they learned about the technology behind EV vehicles, they finally caught on.
“We are using holistic teaching not just to teach how to fix a car but how to be a good employee,” he said. “They are life-long learners because there will always be something new, and we teach them how to be creative, critical thinkers, and embrace that consistent advancement in technology.”
Almeida said that as the consumer’s interest in EVs and hybrids grows, the demand for technicians who are trained and certified in both gas and electric vehicles will be mainstream in all garages.
“We have to train students accordingly to what the workforce is demanding,” he said. “We have industry partners coming back to us saying that the students we sent for co-ops or the alumni they hired are the best workers.”
link
