Electrify America has announced that it’s investing over $1.6 million in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, workforce development programs, and other related infrastructures and projects. This is to help speed up the development of electric vehicles and the infrastructures supporting them. This will award funds for four organizations to support K-12 and community college students by creating educational and training programs promoting zero emissions vehicle technology.
This announcement builds on Electrify America’s initiative for promoting EV awareness in a brand-neutral manner. The programs created will educate students regarding EVs through a new curriculum. Job vocational training will also be included to give the future workforce of engineers, battery technicians, software developers, and other professions needed for EV development a head start.
“Investing in science, technology, engineering, and math programs will not only educate students and workers about electric vehicles, but it will help prepare them for the countless career opportunities that exist in the vast EV ecosystem,” said Will Berry, Electrify America’s corporate social responsibility manager. “The electric vehicle and charging infrastructure industries need a workforce rooted in a strong STEM foundation, and we’re helping support future career development by teaching and training students about these types of jobs.”
After reviewing over a dozen proposals, the four organizations that Electrify America has awarded funding to are: Ecology Action, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, The National Energy Foundation, and Valley Clean Air Now. All four organizations are targeting communities in California or at the national level. The new round of funding builds on previous multimillion-dollar investments at numerous California-based communities, which was aimed at growing education opportunities for low-income, disadvantaged, and rural communities. In 2019, Electrify America invested $82.4 million in these communities to educate them on the benefits of emissions-free mobility.
