High School

Those interested in pursuing careers in science and engineering should take classes in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and science.

Many vehicle manufacturing jobs require mechanical skills, so you should take advantage of any shop programs your high school offers, such as auto mechanics, electronics, welding, drafting, and computer programming and design. In the core subject areas, mathematics, including algebra and geometry, is useful for reading blueprints and using computer programs that direct machine functions. Chemistry is useful for workers who need to be familiar with the properties of metals.

Vehicle designers will benefit by taking classes in art, computer-aided design, mathematics, and physics.

Aspiring vehicle service technicians should take automotive and shop classes, mathematics, and computer science classes.

Those who want to become transportation planners should take course work in computer-aided design, drafting, and environmental science.

Those on the managerial track should take business, mathematics, and accounting classes.

Classes that will be useful for any type of worker include English, speech, computer science, and mathematics. Learning a foreign language is also useful because many people in the United States do not speak English as a first language. Additionally, engineers, scientists, designers, and planners may travel to foreign countries to trade conferences and other events to meet their competitors and peers from other countries that are working on similar projects.

Postsecondary Education

Educational requirements vary by profession. Engineers, scientists, designers, and transportation planners typically have bachelor’s degrees in their respective fields. They may need master’s degrees for managerial positions.

Engineering technicians typically have associate’s degrees in automotive technology engineering or engineering technology.

Vehicle service technicians typically have completed some kind of formal training program in automobile mechanics, usually a minimum of two years. A wide variety of such programs are offered by community colleges, vocational schools, independent organizations, and manufacturers.

Many of the jobs in an automotive plant are classified as semiskilled or unskilled positions, and people with some mechanical aptitude, physical ability, and a high school diploma are qualified to do them. However, there is often stiff competition for jobs with large automakers, especially those that produce green vehicles, which often require a more advanced skill-set from workers. Therefore, if you have some postsecondary training, certification, or experience, you stand a better chance of getting a job in the automotive industry than someone with only a high school diploma.

A small, but growing, number of colleges and universities offer classes, certificates, and degrees in alternative fuels, advanced vehicle technology, green manufacturing, and other related fields. The U.S. Department of Energy offers links to educational programs in clean energy at http://energy.gov/eere/education/education-homepage. The Interstate Renewable Energy Council also offers a list of colleges and universities that offer biomass ENERGY education programs at its Web site, http://www.irecusa.org/workforce-education.

The U.S. Department of Energy has established Graduate Automotive Technology Education Centers of Excellence to "provide a new generation of engineers and scientists with knowledge and skills in advanced automotive technologies." Visit https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/education-and-workforce-development for a list of schools.

Many green transportation students participate in an internship with a related employer while in college. The internship allows them to explore potential career paths, gain experience, and make valuable contacts, which may come in handy when it is time to look for a job. The U.S. Department of Energy offers links to information on internships, fellowships, and scholarships at https://www.energy.gov/eere/education/eere-career-resources.

Other Education or Training

The Renewable Fuels Association offers continuing education opportunities at its National Ethanol Conference. The American Planning Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Electronic Drive Transportation Association, Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association, Industrial Designers Society of America, National Society of Professional Engineers, and SAE International also provide continuing education opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.

Certification and Licensing

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers offers certification to manufacturing engineers. Many engineering technicians choose to become certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence offers a variety of certifications for vehicle service technicians, including those in alternative fuels and light duty hybrid/electric vehicles. The American Institute of Certified Planners, a division of the American Planning Association, grants certification to planners

Engineers who work on projects that affect the property, health, or life of the public typically pursue licensure. There are two levels of licensing for engineers. Those who become Professional Engineers (PEs) have graduated from an accredited engineering curriculum, have four years of engineering experience, and have passed a written exam. Engineering graduates need not wait until they have four years experience, however, to start the licensure process. Those who pass the Fundamentals of Engineering examination after graduating are called Engineers in Training (EITs) or Engineer Interns (EIs). The EIT certification is usually valid for 10 years. After acquiring suitable work experience, EITs can take the second examination, the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam, to gain full PE licensure. For more information on licensing and examination requirements, visit http://www.ncees.org.

The state of New Jersey requires planners to be licensed. The state of Michigan requires those who want to practice under the title of "community planner" to be licensed. Contact these states departments of labor for more information on licensing requirements.

Students who aspire to work as engineers, scientists, designers, planners, and in other green transportation professions can gain experience in the field by participating in college internships or volunteering or working part-time at green transportation employers. These opportunities will give students a chance to explore potential career paths and make industry contacts that will come in handy during their job search.  

Desirable skills and personality traits vary for the wide range of workers in the green transportation industry. For example, engineers and scientists must be creative, good problem solvers, enjoy conducting research, strong communicators, and have excellent technical and scientific ability. Vehicle designers are creative, have artistic ability, and are able to work closely with others in a collaborative style. They can accept criticism and differences of opinion and are open to new ideas. Manufacturing workers need strong mechanical aptitude, good hand-eye coordination, the ability to work as a member of a team, good communication skills, and the ability to work quickly and efficiently. Transportation planners should have design skills, a good understanding of spatial relationships, top-notch analytical skills, and logic and problem-solving abilities.

Key traits of all successful workers include strong communication skills, good organizational and time-management skills, the ability to work as a member of a team, and a willingness to continue to learn throughout one’s career.