Join the EV revolution

Electric vehicles are fast emerging as an important travel option, thereby opening up several job avenues

The Indian automotive sector is close to a $100 billion industry, and employs over 19 million people (according to the Department of Heavy Industries). Within this is the electric vehicles (EV) sector, which is seeing a transformation with new technologies and new ways of ownership. The changes driving the sector are electric vehicles, shared mobility, autonomous driving, IoT-enabled connected vehicles, and increasing line automation in manufacturing. The NITI Aayog expects that, by 2030, 80% of two and three-wheelers, 40% of buses, and 30 to 70% of cars will be electric vehicles. It further expects that 35% of passenger miles will be on shared vehicles. These changes will dramatically increase access to mobility for the masses. Not only will it create the need for manpower across different profiles but will also change the profile of existing employees within the sector. We must, therefore, upskill workers to be able to work on the electric vehicle drivetrains, at the manufacturing plants and at dealerships and repair centres across the country. In fact, the shortage of mechanics and technicians for EVs is already apparent. Analysts and data scientists are also in strong demand to make sense of the ever-increasing data emerging from connected vehicles and autonomous vehicles. There is a need for more people in the research, design, and development of EV drive trains, vehicle design, and battery technology. Shared mobility companies too are looking for managerial and customer care executives across the board. Students can grab this opportunity and enroll in relevant courses, while existing employees can upskill to be ready for the EV revolution. Project work and internships in the industry will also help.