KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – Dobyns-Bennett High School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program plans to offer an electric vehicle maintenance technician course as early as next fall. Program leaders are working to purchase an electric car for the course.
The CTE program received grant money to purchase a Ford F-150 Lightning to use in the classroom.
“Students are interested in new and interesting careers,” said Beau Schaden, director of CTE. “We think this electric vehicle maintenance program will be one that will interest them. So far it has.”
The students developed a design to decorate the all-electric SUV when they received it. The excitement comes with new learning possibilities, coaches said.
“You don’t see an engine; “(Electric cars) are quiet,” said Charles Honecker, an auto maintenance and light repair instructor. “Of course, you can hardly hear them coming. But, there are some components in it that, like any other car, you have to be careful when working on it. That’s what (we aim to teach).”
Electric vehicles are an ever-growing business, the trainers said. Two plants are being built in Nashville and Murfreesboro to produce the batteries.
While training for the new course, Honecker said he learned Tennessee will have at least 10,000 electric vehicle job openings in 2024 alone.
As far as CTE teachers know, Dobyns-Bennett is the first high school to offer this program.
“Throughout my career, it seems like I’ve been chasing the needs of the industry, and the industry has always needed something yesterday,” Schaden said. “Unfortunately, education doesn’t have the flexibility to pivot as quickly as the industry sometimes needs to, so we’re keen to know that we may be a little ahead of the industry in EV maintenance.”
The Electric Vehicle Maintenance course will be offered along with other automotive programs in the CTE department. Schaden said he plans to use the electric vehicle in other courses such as supply management and a fire science class as well.
Shaden said that he is working on applying for another grant to purchase the tools needed to work on electric cars, as the school prepares for the session next academic year.
Kingsport City Schools sought approval from the city’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen to purchase the electric vehicle. The car costs about $77,000 and the board meets Tuesday night.
