IVC primed to train lithium workforce
Long before Statevolt announced plans this week to build a $4 billion “gigafactory” to produce lithium-ion batteries in the Imperial Valley, Imperial Valley College was already busy designing the programs needed to prepare students for jobs in the future industry.
“This is an exciting time,” IVC Dean of Economic and Workforce Development, Efrain Silva, told the crowd attending the Lithium Valley Stakeholder meeting Thursday at the college.
“We have been working with geothermal and lithium extraction company representatives for months to determine their needs and to design appropriate training programs,” Silva said. “Will we have the workforce ready to apply for jobs in the lithium industry? The answer is yes.”
The meeting was hosted by the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corp. Imperial County Supervisor Ryan Kelley spoke about the Lithium Valley Economic Opportunity Investment Plan and the county’s commitment to lithium and geothermal industries. Rod Colwell, CEO of Controlled Thermal Resources, and Lars Carlstrom, founder of Statevolt, also spoke. Statevolt has signed a Letter of Intent with CTR through which it will receive lithium and geothermal power from CTR’s planned Hell’s Kitchen Lithium and Power development.
Estimates are that lithium extraction processes would create 2,500 to 3,000 new jobs in the Valley and that Statevolt’s battery production facility would add up to an additional 3,000 jobs, Silva said.
Statevolt’s announcement this week and its plans to start local production of lithium-ion batteries by 2025 intensified the need for workforce training programs.
Silva said there are several steps involved in designing workforce programs, including the state requirement that programs prepare students for existing jobs or those endorsed and verified by emerging industries.
The college has been meeting with CTR, Energy Source and Berkshire Hathaway, all of which are developing lithium extraction facilities at the Salton Sea. Silva added that IVC’s faculty is designing programs that meet the specific needs of their industry. Additional meetings will determine Statevolt’s needs.
Based on meetings with the developer and site tours to understand the specific job needs, Silva said IVC is currently developing three new programs: laboratory technician, plant operator and instrumentation technician. The developers have endorsed all three programs.
“We are committed to creating short-term certificate programs that will be less than a year,” Silva said. He estimated the programs will be operational by fall 2023.
Additionally, he said IVC is committed to creating academic pathways to associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. Silva added, “So we are working with SDSU Imperial Valley interim Dean (Mark) Wheeler, who is interested in linking programs to Valley needs.”