First Otago Polytechnic EV graduates charged up

Nine students have become the first cohort to graduate from Otago Polytechnic’s pioneering EV programme.

The students were in Otago Polytechnic’s New Zealand Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering, a Level-5 programme that empowers students with the skills and knowledge to diagnose and repair faults in battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles and machines.

The one-year, part-time programme (delivered on-campus and online with a range of block courses) has four intakes a year, with more than 20 students enrolling in each intake.

With the pressure on natural resources around the globe, people are seeking alternative and more sustainable energy solutions.

EVs will play a big part in this future and those working in the automotive industry will increasingly need skills and confidence working in this space, the polytechnic says.

“Given the increasing demand and use of electric vehicles, Otago Polytechnic is looking to work with other ITPs to grow the New Zealand Certificate in Electric Vehicles up and down the country,” Otago Polytechnic’s College of Engineering, Construction and Living Sciences head Richard Nyhof says.

According to a recent University of Otago study, Dunedin has one of the highest rates of EV ownership in New Zealand, with about 6.1 vehicles per 1000 people, compared with an Otago regional average of 4.7 and a national average of 3.8 vehicles per 1000 people.

There are 931 electric cars registered in Dunedin, part of more than 22,000 registered nationally.

To meet the demand related to this uptake, Otago Polytechnic has developed a broad suite of EV-related programmes, including a range of short courses and microcredentials.

Read more about Otago Polytechnic’s NZ Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering (Level 5)

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Automotive engineering senior lecturer Kevin O’Neill says Otago Polytechnic started on the EV journey three years ago.

“The course was designed from the ground up with help from local and national partners.”