The ACT government has officially unveiled a tailored training program designed to help its diesel bus mechanics gain the skills and knowledge to work on new electric bus models.
Minister for transport and city services Chris Steel announced the new tailored training program, which has been developed in partnership between Transport Canberra and the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), and was an election promise.
Six diesel bus mechanics will undertake the training next week at the CIT Campus at Fyshwick, starting with an initial two-day course and partnered with an online pre-learning package.
“Zero emissions buses are the future of Canberra’s public transport fleet,” said Steel. “That’s why we want to ensure today’s diesel bus mechanics gain the skills and knowledge to work with new electric models.
“Australia’s renewables transition is going to create lots of new jobs and bring fundamental changes to existing ones. We want Canberrans to be skilled up and ready so they can benefit from the opportunities ahead.”
The training program will include skills such as depowering and reinitialising battery vehicles, maintaining rechargeable energy storage systems, testing electric motors, and general maintenance of an all-electric fleet.
Starting next year, all ACT Government mechanics and workshop staff will undergo training to work with electric vehicles as a priority, to be followed by Transport Officers and other key bus depot staff by the middle of next year.
In future years, this training program will benefit the broader workforce in the Canberra region with non-governmental automotive workers able to undertake the training to upskill as EVs become more popular and available.
“This is an important step in a fair transition to net zero emissions,” said Steel. “While we are investing in technology, it’s essential to also invest in people so that workers can find and keep good renewables jobs.”
