New Flyer of America Inc. launched its Electrical Technician Training Program (ETTP). The ETTP, launched initially in New Flyer’s Crookston and St. Cloud, Minn. facilities, is a program encompassing classroom and on-the-job (OJT) training and providing employees with knowledge and skills to continue leading and supporting zero-emission adoption across North America.

The program, whose module development leveraged existing programming from NFI subsidiary Motor Coach Industries (MCI), is intended for expansion and launch across NFI’s other major manufacturing facilities in future.

The purpose of the ETTP is to provide entry level training for new employees, to help existing employees upskill and reskill through the industry’s accelerating transition to zero-emission propulsion and the increased demand for advanced zero-emission bus (ZEB) manufacturing, and to serve as a skills development pipeline to help employees reach the Senior Electrical Technician role. It includes five preparatory modules and two levels of training. Training levels include “Red” and “Blue,” respectively, indicating Electrical Technician 1 and Electrical Technician 2, which are earned upon training completion.

“Ultimately, the ETTP launch in Minnesota serves as a model for development and implementation of like programs across our major manufacturing facilities,” said Janice Harper, executive VP, people and culture, at NFI. “Program expansion is already underway and will roll out later this year and throughout 2022. This program is timely and exciting for our team and the industry as a whole — directly meeting workforce development needs and developing critically-needed skills to enable the new mobility era.”

The ETTP includes intensive learning content through modules incorporating electrical theory and components, bus systems and troubleshooting (including high voltage safety training), zero-emission propulsion, customer option systems, and extensive hands-on practical skills development.

“By the time an employee has fulfilled all program requirements, they will have completed 64 hours of classroom learning and over 3,600 hours of OJT,” said Chris Stoddart, president, North American Bus and Coach. “This is in addition to the 150,000 hours of training completed annually across the New Flyer team. Continued learning is critical for advancing zero-emission deployment, which is why workforce development remains one of four important pillars in our mobility solutions offering.”