Since new generations of vehicles flood the automobile market, mechanics have had to update their knowledge to be able to work on this type of vehicle. Recently, the René Cartigny technical institute received a 100% electric car which will allow teachers and students to be trained.
A Renault Zoé was delivered to the school with software that accompanies the educational car. This software allows teachers and students to study an electric car from any angle they choose. For example, it is possible to visualize the engine that is modeled and operate it virtually. “It is software that can communicate with the vehicle, it will allow you to see several parameters of the vehicle while driving, stopping or pre-running“, explains Mohammed Khalifa, professor of automotive electricity.
Good news for students
The students can thus see how it works in reverse, disassemble it piece by piece, see what steps must be taken before arriving at this or that part, news welcomed positively by the students, because, during internship, they cannot not touch electric cars without specific aggregations. “In the garages where we do internships, there are vehicles, but we can’t touch them because we don’t have the diploma for it, whereas here, we can really touch them with our hands, see the things”, rejoices Florian, an additional automotive electricity student.
A job that changes
With the appearance of new generations of vehicles, mechanics have had to adapt because the work is changing. Educam, which offers various training courses for mechanics, has added specific training courses for electric cars to its catalog. “Workers who work on hybrid or electric vehicles must have a sectoral certificate which depends on the type of work they are doing,” explains Paul-Henri Gilissen: general director of Educam.
Several training courses are available and several levels as well. To be able to work on an electric car, it is mandatory to have special certificates and to be able to touch the battery, you need level three aggregation out of the four levels that exist. These training courses are also open to teachers and students and are valid for 6 years.
electric car mechanic training
