As of July 1 this year, 6,973 electric cars were registered in Estonia, with an average age of 3.8 years, according to the Transport Administration. This means that many electric cars will soon be aging out of dealership service windows, which, in the context of the Estonian market, typically leads to changes in ownership and continued maintenance in auto repair shops.

The current national curriculum for automotive specialties is clearly outdated. Despite electric cars having been on our roads for years, their representation in the curriculum is negligible. Only this year has work begun on developing a training program for electric vehicle technicians, meaning the first students will start their studies in the fall of 2025 and are expected to graduate in the spring of 2028.

This timeline is evidently too late considering market trends. Soon, while we will have electric vehicles, there will be a lack of knowledge on how to maintain them safely. The emphasis here is on safety, as uninformed actions can have severe consequences for mechanics, vehicle owners and the vehicles themselves.

It is puzzling how the state has supported the purchase of fully electric vehicles for years but has not considered where the knowledge and skills for their maintenance and repair will come from. Should this responsibility fall solely on vehicle importers? Or perhaps on consumers? And how is this supposed to encourage the broader adoption of electric vehicles?

Of course, importers are ready to contribute by training their employees on new technologies. The problem is that the only way to do this currently is abroad, as the necessary continuing education is not available in Estonia. Studying abroad requires a significant investment, which not all importers and repair shops can afford. Besides, why should the responsibility for electric vehicles be greater than for those with internal combustion engines?

There is no doubt that Estonia needs vocational education specifically aimed at electric vehicles. However, a full-scale electric vehicle technician curriculum will not address the market's actual needs. What about all the specialists who have already completed vocational training as auto mechanics but now need additional education specifically on electric vehicles? It is unreasonable to expect them to undergo a full vocational training program again.

A solution could be supplementary training similar to micro-degrees that have quickly become popular in universities. Vocational education could also offer micro-degree courses where professionals already in the labor market can familiarize themselves with new technologies. This would undoubtedly be a more attractive solution for those who have previously completed vocational training and worked as mechanics for years. From an employer's perspective, this would also better align work and studies. Therefore, in addition to a new national curriculum, it is urgent to develop micro-degrees for electric vehicle technicians.

Another major concern is that vocational qualification exams do not include electric vehicles as a topic. In addition to educational opportunities, there is a critical need for a quality standard for electric vehicle vocational training to assess specialists' knowledge and skills. On one hand, a qualification standard provides consumers with confidence about where to have their vehicles serviced, and on the other hand, it helps raise the salary levels for technicians.

I am convinced that the entire automotive sector is ready to contribute to and participate in improving and accelerating the training of electric vehicle technicians, and the state should also show interest in this collaboration.

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