YSU, Foxconn to Launch National EV Training Center

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown State University and Hon Hai Technology Group, or Foxconn, have formed a partnership to establish a national electric vehicle training center, the university announced today.

The new training center will focus on helping the emerging EV industry build and scale a sustainable workforce around advanced manufacturing, energy storage and other integrated technology solutions, such as artificial intelligence, 5G and cybersecurity.

“Now is the time to break down geographic and institutional silos to provide workforce solutions that accelerate the ability for industry, academia, government and workforce organizations to come together and more quickly deploy resources and strategies to address industry workforce needs,” said YSU President Jim Tressel.

Additional details of the project will be divulged at a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m. tomorrow at YSU’s Excellence Training Center at Kohli Hall, the university said.

Foxconn in May purchased Lordstown Motors Corp.’s Lordstown plant for $230 million. The Taiwanese tech giant has secured contract manufacturing agreements with automotive companies, including Lordstown Motors, Monarch Tractor and a framework agreement with Fisker Inc. It most recently announced a memorandum of understanding with California-based IndieEV to build prototypes for its new EV model.

At a recent technology expo, Foxconn Chairman Young Liu also suggested that two models in development, a crossover and pickup, would be manufactured in the U.S., possibly at Lordstown.

The Lordstown plant, once operated by General Motors for more than 50 years, is Foxconn’s sole EV manufacturing plant in the United States.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.