San Bernardino Valley College, as part of its partnership with the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project, was a recent 2020 Innovation Award Honoree at the virtual Breath of Life Awards Gala this fall.
The project is a collaboration between 15 public and private partners, including San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC). Led by Volvo and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), the project deployed battery-electric trucks and zero-emission forklifts to help shuttle freight between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and warehouses in Southern California. These trucks and forklifts reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health. Using a Volvo LIGHTS grant, SBVC launched its heavy-duty electric truck technician training program in 2019, to help meet the growing service and maintenance needs these new zero-emission trucks will demand.
SBVC faculty chair and associate professor Kenny Melancon told ACT News that the grant paved the way for the new program, funding all the necessary equipment for students to participate in safe laboratory coursework.
“SBVC is located within the heart of the Inland Empire, known as a logistics and warehouse distribution hub, where heavy-duty truck transportation supports the industry,” Melancon said. “The Heavy/Medium Duty Truck Technology program is not just another Career Technical Educational Program (CTE) program. It provides the opportunity for all who want to learn about battery-electric truck technology to start their career or enhance their current work experience.”
Melancon said SBVC applied to be a part of the Volvo LIGHTS project in 2018, and was approved to participate shortly after. The partnership has allowed SBVC to expand to incorporate the newer battery-electric technology and offer the workforce training the industry needs.
Students in the program learn about direct current circuit analysis, alternating current circuit analysis, technical calculations, zero-emission heavy-duty truck, diesel alternative fuels and work in laboratory settings to get hands-on experience working with the technology.
The demand for these types of technicians is likely to increase as California adopts more sustainable practices, including zero and low-emission across its industries. The first graduates of the program are expected to graduate come May 2021, and three of those students have already secured full-time employment in the field. The other two, according to Melancon, are currently in the interview process for employment and are expected to receive offers by the end of the term.
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