Upskilling Tasmania’s automotive technicians to meet EV demand
Published on: 16 Jul 2026
Industry-aligned EV training is available to eligible automotive technicians at Alanvale Campus in Launceston; and from our new Automotive Training Facility in Hobart in 2027.
TasTAFE is upskilling more Tasmanian automotive technicians so they can safely work on battery (BEV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) by delivering training that meets the needs of working professionals, employers and industry.
The ‘Depower and Reinitialise Electric Vehicles’ training course is three days in duration, making it perfect for automotive technicians who are sole operators, and businesses who find it a challenge to release staff to attend training and upskilling opportunities for extended periods of time.
“Feedback from our industry partners highlighted a shortage of technicians in Tasmania with the specialised skills required to service and maintain electric vehicles safely,” said TasTAFE CEO Dr Norman Baker.
“The TasTAFE Electric Vehicle (EV) initiative, supported by the Tasmanian Automotive Chamber of Commerce, has been developed in direct response to this challenge by offering short-form, subsidised and industry-aligned training for eligible and qualified automotive technicians not currently enrolled in apprenticeships,” Dr Baker said.
The training course involves ensuring a vehicle’s high voltage rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) is isolated before starting service or repair work. It also involves calibrating vehicle systems that may need resetting once the system is reinitialised. Importance is placed on applying RESS and separated extra low voltage (SELV) electrical safety procedures and includes relevant Australian Standards for work on electric vehicles.
The Tasmanian Government-funded EV training initiative was launched in April this year and the funding continues through to 2028. New training dates for the remainder of 2026 have just been released, with courses scheduled for 1–3 September and 17–19 November 2026 at TasTAFE's Alanvale Campus.
From 2027, the course will also be delivered from TasTAFE's new state-of-the-art Automotive Training Facility at Cambridge Park, expanding access to training and supporting the future workforce needs of Tasmania's automotive sector.
“The funding package has also supported EV training for more TasTAFE automotive teachers, strengthening the organisation's capability to deliver EV-related training across Tasmania,” Dr Baker said.
“This increased capacity is helping industry keep pace with rapid technological change while ensuring workers have access to high-quality, industry-relevant training.”
Enrol now for the September or November 2026 EV training short course: https://bit.ly/4haCBtN
