City-Led Initiative Clears Path to EV Industry Jobs for Philadelphians

New Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker officially took office on Jan. 2 of this year. Within hours of being sworn in, Parker shared a 100-day action plan that outlined her intent to, among other things, diversify the city’s workforce, help more Philadelphians access good-paying jobs and make Philadelphia “the greenest big city in the nation with economic opportunity for everyone.”

A new City of Philadelphia-led workforce development pilot program looks to make progress on each of those fronts.

The City has been awarded $1.47 million in federal funds to subsidize the Plug in Philly initiative, which aims to recruit and train 45 diverse Philadelphians for careers in electric vehicle supplies and equipment (EVSE).

According to a city-issued statement, the initiative “will empower aspiring EVSE workers” through a pre-apprenticeship program designed to expand access to career-track training and employment in EVSE installation and maintenance work.

In the same statement, Mayor Parker lauded the “powerful relationship” between the federal government, organized labor, education and the City of Philadelphia; an alliance that led to the Plug in Philly initiative’s creation.

The City will lead the initiative in partnership with a number of organizations, such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 and its training arm, Apprentice Training for the Electrical Industry (ATEI). Additional partners include Philadelphia Works Inc., Community College of Philadelphia and the School District of Philadelphia. The National Association of Women in Construction’s Philadelphia chapter will help recruit participants, develop curriculum and provide training.

“The Plug in Philly program will expand economic opportunity for all by removing barriers to employment for Philadelphia residents,” said Mayor Parker. “The pre-apprenticeship model will provide participants with training in an electric vehicle field that is booming, and [will] provide increased pathways to local unions responsible for building and maintaining Philadelphia’s infrastructure.”

Along with building the EVSE-specific pre-apprenticeship program, the program is also designed to increase awareness of high-paying professional opportunities in EVSE through outreach to job seekers, especially Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), and female Philadelphians currently working low-wage jobs, according to the City of Philadelphia. The city also plans to develop demand-side programming to support graduates’ job placement in EVSE careers.

With nearly $1.5 million in federal funds secured, the Plug in Philly program figures to give a significant boost to the City’s EV workforce, and ensure training for good-paying union jobs, said U.S. Senator Bob Casey, who holds Pennsylvania’s senior senate seat.

“Pennsylvania was among the first states in the nation to begin building out a statewide network of charging stations with infrastructure law funds,” said Sen. Casey, in a statement. “And now this grant will ensure southeastern Pennsylvanians of all backgrounds can train for jobs to build this network out, strengthening our burgeoning electric vehicle industry and reducing our carbon footprint.”