Our training is tailored specifically to the interests of the student. For example, when we have a student who wants to work with fuel cells, we start by teaching them how to measure the activity of a thin film of catalyst particles. Next, we teach them how to build a fuel cell from scratch, one small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Then we help the student get a job in a company that develops fuel-cell stacks. The science behind how the fuel cell works is just one component of the training, whereas it might be the only focus of a more traditional course.
Vocational training is all about connecting the dots. The green-battery industry is not only hiring people to sit and think about electrochemistry, it also wants people who can assemble and operate battery packs of all sizes and who understand all the bits and pieces that go into making a cell work. Those people need to be able to fix cells when they break or optimize them to improve performance.