Building on Decades of IBEW-University of Michigan Collaboration, CTTT and U-M EVC Unite to Open the Door Wider for the Next Generation of ZEV Mechanics
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Clean Technology Training Trust (CTTT), a national nonprofit developing national DOL-registered apprenticeship programs in medium- and heavy-duty ZEV mechanics, today announced a strategic partnership with the University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center (U-M EV Center) to co-design industry- and labor-aligned curriculum and pre-hire/apprenticeship training pathways in medium- and heavy-duty zero emission vehicle (ZEV) systems, battery technology, and ZEV fleet maintenance and repair. This partnership represents a natural evolution of a relationship long rooted in IBEW’s collaborative history with the University of Michigan and marks a forward-facing commitment to ensuring that the doors to apprenticeship careers are open to as many individuals as possible. Launching in April 2026, the collaboration positions both organizations as national leaders in building the skilled ZEV technician workforce demanded by the accelerating transition to clean fleets in public transit, freight, and commercial transportation.
The partnership builds on a foundation decades in the making. Through the IBEW’s long-standing engagement with the University of Michigan – anchored by programs such as the IBEW’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) and deep collaborative ties around skills training – this new chapter expands that relationship into the emerging medium- and heavy-duty ZEV maintenance sector. As an IBEW affiliate, CTTT is developing its ZEV Mechanic registered apprenticeship through and for the IBEW workforce, with the capacity to deploy training across nearly 300 IBEW training centers throughout the United States. The joint initiative with U-M will develop modular curriculum that supports entry into and progression through CTTT’s labor-sponsored ZEV Mechanic apprenticeship pathway as it is built — ensuring that anyone who wants a career in maintaining and servicing the clean vehicles powering our transit and freight systems has a clear, structured route to get there.
“This partnership reflects where CTTT is headed — and honors the road already traveled. The IBEW has worked alongside the University of Michigan for years to prepare workers for the demands of an evolving energy landscape. Now, as medium- and heavy-duty ZEV fleets accelerate across transit agencies and commercial carriers nationwide, we are taking that relationship into its next chapter. The technicians who will service and maintain those fleets must be trained to the highest standards, and the pathway to those careers must be open to everyone willing to do the work. By building this apprenticeship development work together with the University of Michigan, we are creating a scalable, labor-driven model that starts with where the work is — on the ground, under the hood, keeping clean vehicles running — and expands opportunity from there.”
Dr. Kimberly A. Moore, CCMP, National Executive Director, Clean Technology Training Trust
The 2026 scope of work will include the co-development of modular ZEV and battery systems curriculum aligned to CTTT’s emerging ZEV Mechanic apprenticeship entry requirements and labor standards, integration of AR/VR-enabled instructional tools to simulate ZEV diagnostics, safety, and repair in immersive learning environments, and a governance framework designed for national replication across IBEW training centers. The curriculum will be grounded in the real maintenance and operational demands facing ZEV fleet technicians — from battery systems and drivetrain diagnostics to safety protocols for high-voltage vehicle servicing — ensuring that what is taught reflects what the work actually requires. The University of Michigan will contribute subject-matter expertise, instructional design, and needs assessment capacity, while CTTT will serve as the program designer and direct delivery lead — deploying this curriculum to skill and upgrade the IBEW workforce across its nearly 300 affiliated training centers nationwide.
“The University of Michigan’s Electric Vehicle Center is proud to bring our research expertise and instructional design capacity to this labor pathway initiative. Together with CTTT, we are building the kind of demand-driven, accessible workforce infrastructure that the clean economy urgently needs.”
Ashlee Breitner, Workforce Director, University of Michigan – Electric Vehicle Center
“The transition to zero emission fleets is not a future challenge — it is happening now, and the IBEW workforce must be ready to lead it. Transit agencies and commercial carriers across the country are under mandate to convert their fleets, and they need technicians who are trained to the highest standard, backed by the rigor of a registered apprenticeship, and ready to work from day one. That is exactly what CTTT was built to deliver. Through our affiliation with the IBEW and our reach across nearly 300 training centers nationwide, we have the infrastructure to meet this demand at scale. This partnership with the University of Michigan strengthens that foundation, bringing world-class research and instructional expertise directly into the labor training pipeline. It is the kind of collaboration that ensures our members are not just keeping pace with the clean economy but driving it.”
Dave Reaves, Chairman, Clean Technology Training Trust
“The IBEW recognized decades ago that the electrification of our infrastructure would require a new level of readiness from our members. That understanding led to the creation of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program, or EVITP, in 2008. One of our earliest partners in that effort was the University of Michigan, which was among the first institutions to help roll out the program.
EVITP was built from the ground up to prepare IBEW members for the installation and integration demands of a rapidly changing electrical landscape The University’s expertise, together with its ongoing partnership with our National Training Alliance, has helped make the program what it is today
What CTTT is undertaking now represents a natural and necessary next step in that partnership. As zero-emission vehicle fleets move from policy commitments to day-to-day operational reality, the IBEW workforce needs the same rigor, structure, and collaboration on the maintenance side of this transition. This is exactly the kind of work we helped lay the foundation for, and I am proud to see it advancing.”
Michael Clemmons, International Vice President, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
“For twenty years, our local has partnered with the University of Michigan on skills training programs that have made a real and lasting difference for our members. That relationship has always been built on trust, shared purpose, and a commitment to making sure our workforce is prepared for what comes next — not just what’s in front of us today. This new initiative with CTTT is a continuation of that same strong effort. The ZEV transition is already here for the fleets our members service and maintain, and having a structured, labor-driven pathway to build those skills — backed by the University of Michigan’s expertise — means our people will be ready to meet it with confidence.”
Ryan Husse, Business Manager, IBEW Local 252
The initiative comes at a critical inflection point for the U.S. workforce. A 2024 Center for Automotive Research workforce needs assessment found that 82% of battery industry employers reported shortages of qualified local applicants — and that employers expect hiring to increase by more than 20% between 2023 and 2026. Domestic battery workforce demand is projected to grow six-fold by 2030. Meanwhile, U-M’s own research found that auto plants in the ramp-up stages of EV production saw assembly jobs increase as much as ten times over ICE predecessor plants — directly countering earlier predictions of mass job loss. The demand for qualified medium- and heavy-duty ZEV mechanics is especially acute: transit agencies and commercial fleets across the country face binding ZEV fleet conversion mandates with insufficient technician pipelines to support them. CTTT’s ZEV Mechanic apprenticeship — currently in development as one of the only DOL-registered programs being purpose-built to meet that need through a union-supported, labor-management governed training model — represents the critical infrastructure needed to ensure those vehicles are maintained and operated safely and effectively for the long term.
CTTT’s national apprenticeship development work — anchored in medium- and heavy-duty ZEV mechanics — is governed by a labor-management board and designed to meet this demand through high-road, union-supported career pathways. At the center of this work is a recognition that the men and women who service, maintain, and keep ZEV fleets operational are essential to the success of the clean transportation transition — and that their preparation must be as rigorous and forward-looking as the technology they will work on. The U-M Electric Vehicle Center, launched in 2023 with a $130 million state investment, brings deep research infrastructure including the nation’s first university-based battery pilot line, and aims to engage more than 1,200 students annually across Michigan campuses and partner institutions.
Anticipated outcomes of the partnership include co-created, labor-aligned ZEV and battery systems curriculum ready for pilot deployment in 2026 in alignment with CTTT’s emerging ZEV Mechanic apprenticeship standards, scalable pre-hire programs that strengthen pathways into ZEV Mechanic career tracks, expanded training capacity for medium- and heavy-duty ZEV maintenance and repair occupations, and a replication model designed for national deployment across labor training centers and transit agency partners. Ultimately, this work is about making sure that every individual who has the drive to build a career maintaining and servicing the clean vehicles transforming our transportation systems has a structured, labor-supported path to do so.
Are You an Employer Seeking a Qualified ZEV-Ready Workforce?
Transit agencies, fleet operators, and commercial carriers facing medium- and heavy-duty ZEV fleet conversion mandates are encouraged to connect with CTTT to explore workforce partnership opportunities. Through CTTT’s IBEW affiliation and its network of nearly 300 IBEW training centers, employers gain early access to a growing pipeline of union-trained ZEV mechanics — workers who will be equipped with the technical credentials and hands-on maintenance training to service next-generation fleets from day one. To learn more about employer partnership opportunities, contact info@cleantechnologytrainingtrust.org or call 202-728-6074.
About the Clean Technology Training Trust
The Clean Technology Training Trust (CTTT) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building the workforce for a clean economy through the development of registered apprenticeships and innovative career pathways in medium- and heavy-duty clean transportation. Governed by a labor-management board and anchored by partnerships with organizations including IBEW, CALSTART, NAATBatt, CTTT advances the mission of building tomorrow’s workforce, today. For more information, contact info@cleantechnologytrainingtrust.org or call 202-728-6074.
About the University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center
The University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center (U-M EVC) drives EV technology and talent by uniting researchers, educators, and industry leaders to tackle challenges and expand opportunities in vehicle electrification. Launched in 2023 with a $130 million investment from the State of Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the EVC focuses on accelerating R&D, building a highly skilled workforce, and establishing advanced campus facilities. Home to the nation’s first university-based battery pilot line, U-M’s Battery Lab has been a full-service battery fabrication and testing facility since 2015. The EVC aims to engage more than 1,200 students annually across U-M’s Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses and partner institutions statewide. For more information, contact abreitn@umich.edu or 734-239-1875.
Media Contact:
Dr. Kimberly A. Moore, CCMP
National Executive Director, Clean Technology Training Trust
info@cleantechnologytrainingtrust.org