Toyota Mirai
Fuel cells are the focus at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College as it prepares to launch a new course in fuel cell vehicle repair.
The college is working with several mass transit systems that utilize fuel cell vehicles in their fleets and is using CEC funding to purchase the equipment necessary to launch the class this spring.
Jess Guerra, Chair of LATTC’s Advanced Transportation and Manufacturing department, said the input from industry partners is essential to designing a curriculum that will meet their needs.
“We are having discussions with industry partners, what aspects of the technology they would like us to focus on and they expect from a student that completes a course or a program that focuses on hydrogen fuel cell technology,” Guerra said.
Fuel cells are still considered to be a specialized area, Guerra said, and organizations like AC Transit in the Bay Area and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are still determining how those vehicles fit into their long-term plans.
Guerra hopes to enroll an initial cohort of about 25 students for the spring semester and eventually grow the fuel cell course into a certificate. The program will help broaden the horizons of its students, many of whom come from underserved communities.
“For many of the students who are going to be taking these courses, it will be the first time they even see one of these cars,” Guerra said. “It provides training and creates a sense of awareness of all the potential employment opportunities.”
