As electric vehicle adoption continues to rise across Canada, one of the industry’s biggest challenges remains finding enough qualified technicians to repair and service them. Durham College is looking to address that gap through its two-year Electric Drive Vehicle Technician diploma, one of only two full-time EV-focused college programs currently offered in Ontario.
Launched last fall, the program is designed to prepare students to diagnose, repair and service the high-voltage systems used in electric and hybrid vehicles. Students train in Durham College’s Vanhaverbeke Family EV Training Centre in Whitby, where they gain experience not only with EV-specific systems, but also with the mechanical and structural components shared across traditional vehicles, hybrids and battery-electric models.
That combination is particularly relevant for the collision repair sector, where shops increasingly need technicians who understand both body repair fundamentals and high-voltage safety procedures. While EVs bring new considerations around battery systems, de-energizing procedures and thermal management, much of the vehicle still relies on familiar systems such as brakes, steering, cooling and suspension. Durham College’s approach reflects that reality by teaching students both EV-specific and conventional automotive skills.
Graduates of the program will also have the opportunity to enter Durham College’s Motive Power Technician program in its second year, allowing them to earn a second diploma and apprenticeship credit in as little as three years. That dual pathway could become increasingly valuable as repair facilities look for technicians who can work across internal combustion, hybrid and electric platforms.
The launch comes as Ontario’s clean transportation sector continues to expand. Hybrid vehicle sales increased by 60 per cent in 2025, helping drive demand for technicians with high-voltage training and EV diagnostic knowledge. Durham College says the first graduating class is expected in 2027.
Programs like Durham College’s could help create a larger talent pipeline for the repair industry, particularly as more electric trucks, SUVs and fleet vehicles begin entering the market.
The college has also expanded into shorter-form upskilling initiatives for existing technicians. In partnership with Achēv, Durham College recently launched a 30-hour EV training program for licensed automotive service and body repair technicians, focused on high-voltage safety, EV battery systems and hybrid-electric powertrains.
