SkillFusion: Leading the Charge with their Recently Launched EVSE Diagnostic Technician (EDT) Training and Certification Program

With an increasing number of eco-conscious drivers embracing the promise of cleaner transportation, the recent surge in electric vehicle (EV) adoption is undeniable. However, a critical challenge has emerged: the shortage of trained charging station maintenance specialists. 

SkillFusion has entered the EV market to address this shortage. A first-of-its-kind program, the team at SkillFusion is ready to flood the market with highly-trained, skilled electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) diagnostic technicians.  

The trouble with charging stations 

With 2 million EVs on the road in the United States, inoperable charging stations have left many of those drivers with “charging anxiety.” Many EV drivers have found themselves with a low state of charge and a rash of non-operational charging stations that could stop EV adoption in its tracks.  

There are currently 138,100 charging stations available in the United States, yet coming upon a charging station, only to find it to be broken, has become a concern for EV drivers. The lack of and inoperability of charging stations may be due, in part, to a lack of skilled charging station technicians trained and ready to address the failures.  

“A shortage of skilled and certified technicians available to service EV charging stations has a significant trickle-down effect within the EV sector,” says Elaina Farnsworth, co-founder and CEO of SkillFusion. “Imagine pulling into a charging station to unexpectedly find that it is broken and has been for some time. This is the reality many drivers face. Providing a smooth, user-friendly experience for EV drivers — by maintaining charger availability and reliability — is essential for growing EV adoption over time.” 

With many states enacting lofty goals for EV adoption, the need for skilled EVSE technicians is a pressing reality that needs prompt attention. 

A groundbreaking training program 

SkillFusion is built around a charger-agnostic platform that seeks to align skilled professionals with opportunities in the EV market. Those being tapped to keep the current charging infrastructure up and running may not have been trained in the specifics of EV charging station maintenance. SkillFusion seeks to bridge this gap between electrical, networking, or technical skills and EV-specific needs. 

“The need for workers to install and maintain EV charging infrastructure is crucial,” says Farnsworth. The SkillFusion approach imbues work-ready individuals with the skills to address the networking and communication issues that cause EV charging station failures.  

“We take into account the full operating and maintenance cycle of owning and operating public EV charging infrastructure,” Farnsworth explains. “We need a lot more trained electricians as well as technicians with a broad range of skills, such as technical support, networking and communications, and cybersecurity, to name a few.” 

SkillFusion’s virtual training program is geared toward those seeking career opportunities in a fast-growing marketplace. The company focuses on enhancing skills to meet certification requirements established by the electrical professional industry, helping workers gain certification, and readying the newly upskilled workers for placement in the EV maintenance technician market.  

Upon completing the training, multi-skilled technicians can register within SkillFusion’s portal — the largest database of EVSE technicians for hire — and start working with EV charger owners and operators quickly. 

Creating career pathways  

SkillFusion recently launched its EVSE Diagnostic Technician (EDT) certification program, an industry-first offering giving skilled workers even broader career pathways within the expanding EV space. The program keeps safety at the forefront by marking a clear delineation between electrical and non-electrical work. This commitment not only ensures the safe installation and maintenance of EV charging stations but also creates a path to careers in the transportation electrification industry.  

With thousands of EV charging stations in the United States out of operation, the need for skilled technicians is great. And with thousands more charging stations due to open in the next few years, the opportunities for technicians with specific skills will be essentially endless.  

We are well into the EV era. To keep the positive effect that EV adoption has on our environment rolling, the infrastructure required to support heightened EV use will need to be robust, widespread, and — most importantly — operational.  

“SkillFusion has curated the most comprehensive set of competency training and credentials for electrical and non-electrical workers specifically designed for the EVSE sector,” says Farnsworth.  

SkillFusion’s commitment to bridging the gap between skills and needs aligns with the accelerated pace of EV adoption in the US, ensuring that the EV charging infrastructure evolves along with the EV revolution and that “charging anxiety” becomes a thing of the past.