Siemens is ramping up its hiring, training and partnering efforts to fill skilled positions in eMobility.
The company’s hiring needs are in direct response to the exponential growth of the U.S. EV market where Siemens has doubled its eMobility business over the past year. To keep up with this growing demand, Siemens is actively seeking candidates for manufacturing, R&D and engineering roles, and is investing in new training initiatives, including an apprenticeship program, to build an EV workforce of the future.
Over the next several months, Siemens expects to create hundreds of jobs both within the company and across the regional supply chain to support its eMobility portfolio, including positions in its training and apprenticeship programs, roles at its two existing hubs and expanded manufacturing operations in the United States.
“With the transition to electrified transportation, we’re experiencing the dawn of new job opportunities that bring a variety of skillsets together like traditional vehicle transportation, electrification, automation and IoT,” said John DeBoer, head of Siemens eMobility solutions and Future Grid Business in North America. “Our new workforce initiatives will train candidates on this blend of competencies to address the industry’s increasing need for professionals to build, maintain and upgrade our EV infrastructure.”
This month, Siemens and its partner Wake Technical Community College (WTCC) launched a new apprenticeship program at its eMobility manufacturing hub in Wendell, N.C. The program is state-approved and registered with ApprenticeshipNC. Siemens is also partnering with NCTAP, an apprenticeship program based in the North Carolina Triangle area, to help develop its program and recruit apprentices. Starting in the 11th grade of high school, this four-year program focuses on integrated basic training which develops technical, methodological and social skills.
“The partnership with Siemens and Wake Technical Community College through the NCTAP consortia is invaluable to the Triangle region as it invests in local high school talent and provides career pathways for students closer to home,” said Shante Bell, North Central Region consultant for ApprenticeshipNC. “At the end of the four-year program, the students have not only earned an associate degree in their field of study, but they have also established a career with a major company in the Triangle.”
Students enrolled in the Siemens program will attend classes part time and receive hands-on manufacturing experience from Siemens, all while earning full-time compensation benefits. Upon completion, apprentices will obtain their associate degree from WTCC and receive their Journeyman-Apprenticeship Certificate from the state. Students will then have an opportunity to continue full-time employment at Siemens. The company will also provide input on the relevant WTCC curriculum to ensure students are fully prepared for the highly skilled roles.
In addition to its apprenticeship program, the company is launching the Siemens eMobility Experience, a training program aimed at early career professionals to develop specialized skills for the EV industry. The multi-year program will consist of 90-day rotations in roles across R&D, manufacturing and product management. Through the rotational experience, participants will learn a combination of competencies including software and hardware engineering, embedded systems and cloud platforms, in addition to traditional mechanical and operational skills.
“In many cases, what’s needed to support the real-time supply of electricity to vehicles is a rapid-responding team that’s capable of dealing with automation, working with vehicles, and integrating these technologies with buildings,” said DeBoer. “While each component has existed historically in silos, it’s the blend together that is new for the EV space, and the purpose of the new training program is to fill this gap.”
