Our WorkClimate ActionBuilding a Strong Climate WorkforceZEV Education Program

ZEV Education Program

Advancing Education and Training for Zero Emission Vehicles and Transportation

Advancing California’s clean transportation future through community college partnerships, student leadership development, and workforce partnership building.

The Foundation for California Community Colleges leads statewide education, awareness, and engagement initiatives that expand zero-emission vehicle and transportation (ZEV/ZET) career pathways across the California Community Colleges. We partner with colleges, state agencies, employers, and community organizations to build a skilled, diverse clean transportation workforce, and to connect students and communities to the opportunities that come with it.

About the Program

California is leading the nation’s transition to zero-emission transportation, and that transition depends on a skilled, diverse workforce. Our ZEV Education Program strengthens automotive technology programs at community colleges, trains student ambassadors to lead peer-to-peer outreach, and builds lasting connections among colleges, state agencies, industry partners, and the communities they serve.

This work began with a statewide initiative funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and a founding cohort of eight community colleges. Building on that foundation, we are growing the program, deepening our partnerships with participating colleges, and welcoming new colleges, funders, and industry partners who share our commitment to an equitable clean transportation future.

Our Goals Include:

  • Expanding awareness of ZEV career pathways, especially in communities where there is a growing demand or unmet need 
  • Training and supporting student ambassadors in peer-to-peer and peer-to-community outreach
  • Reaching high school students to build awareness of affordable education and training opportunities through their local community college’s automotive programs 
  • Strengthening partnerships between colleges, state agencies, employers, and community-based, workforce development organizations

Project Spotlight: Advancing ZEV Workforce Education with CARB

Through a multi-year statewide initiative, FoundationCCC partnered with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and eight community colleges to expand zero-emission vehicle and transportation (ZEV/ZET) career pathways. The project strengthened automotive technology programs, trained student ambassadors to lead peer-to-peer outreach in their communities, and built lasting connections among colleges, state agencies, industry partners, and community organizations.

The partnerships and infrastructure built through this initiative form the foundation of our ongoing ZEV education work.

Across the project, 14 student ambassadors reached 2,719 community members, participated in 28 events, and completed outreach presentations at 22 high schools. Participating colleges enhanced their ZEV programs through faculty trainings, new training equipment, the development of two new ZEV-focused certificate programs, and a total of 11 new zero-emission vehicles for students to train on.

Participating Colleges

Eight California Community Colleges participated in the initiative, each bringing unique strengths and serving diverse communities across the state:

CollegesLocation
Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga
Cosumnes River CollegeSacramento
Evergreen Valley CollegeSan Jose
Mendocino CollegeUkiah
Merced CollegeMerced
San Joaquin Delta CollegeStockton
Southwestern CollegeChula Vista
Ventura CollegeVentura

Project Resources

Final Report:

Outcomes, lessons learned, and recommendations from the initiative.

ZEV Workforce Landscape:

A statewide look at the ZEV/ZET workforce, training capacity, and opportunities ahead.

Media Resources:

Inquire about media toolkit and photo library access at zevoutreach@foundationccc.org.

    Required Application Resources

    Funding opportunities will be posted here upon availability.

    Get Involved and Stay Connected

    Stay connected with the ZEV Education Program. Sign up to receive updates on events, workforce development resources, funding opportunities, and ways to engage with California’s clean transportation community.

    Funder Acknowledgment

    The ZEV Education Program was launched with funding from the California Air Resources Board, a statewide initiative that puts Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions and delivering benefits to California residents.