Aug. 13, 2025
Ferris State emerging as national leader in electric vehicle tech with new, industry-focused Sustainable Transportation Technology program
Ferris State University is emerging as a national leader in sustainable transportation technology with a new program aimed at preparing students for careers in the rapidly changing and growing field.
Ferris State’s leadership is recognized around the country, with the College of Engineering Technology recently hosting a three-day training session in electric vehicle technology that attracted instructors from coast to coast.
The Sustainable Transportation Technology program will debut this fall and is funded in part by a National Science Foundation grant.
“Basically, we’re working to mirror what we know is and will be needed in business and industry for sustainable transportation,” said Patrick English, a professor in the School of Automotive and Heavy Equipment. “One aspect of this we’re particularly excited about is that this is born out of our partnership with business and industry that will help ensure we’re educating students to be ready to meet the demands.”
Through a collaborative effort, Ferris State has positioned its Automotive Center as home to a future program that will include sections on electricity and other alternative solutions for powering vehicles that have, are and will emerge.
“We’re confident that the Sustainable Transportation Technology program is a degree that will never become dated because it’s always tracking business and industry,” English said. “We’re working to make it as part of the two-plus-two where you can start in Sustainable Transportation Technology and finish with a bachelor’s degree in our Automotive Engineering Technology program.”
Ferris State will offer students the opportunity to be trained to meet current and future industry and business requirements.
“The students we train go on to fill essential, highly skilled roles in the automotive industry, in Michigan and across the United States,” English said. “It doesn't matter what the powertrain of the future is. At the Ferris State Automotive program, we will make sure that our graduates can make a living with it.”
Sustainability is one of the four pillars of Ferris State’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.
Ferris State is quickly building a national reputation for its commitment to sustainable transportation.
Ferris State this month hosted EV Level 4 training on the Big Rapids campus, welcoming instructors from Maine to Oregon, and extending internationally into Canada.
Level 4 training focuses on advanced diagnostics, testing and the repair of electric and hybrid vehicle systems.
“Well, this is Level 4 training – I've passed Level 1, 2 and 3,” said Russ Hutton, a hybrid and electrified vehicle specialist visiting from Denver, Colorado. “The biggest thing is to enhance my knowledge on the charging side. There's a big shortage of technicians. I want to understand how they really work and how the car and charging station communicate to each other.”
Instructors visiting Big Rapids from a wide range of higher education institutions appreciated the opportunity.
Dustin Godbolt is an automotive instructor at Florence-Darlington Technical College in Florence, South Carolina.
“We're just starting out with our electric vehicle program, and we thought this would help with our work to get it kick started,” he said. “We jumped on the opportunity to take part in this training when we heard it was being offered.”
The strong turnout for the Level 4 training showed colleges and universities are beginning to take notice of the possibilities with sustainable transportation academic programs.
Ferris State is a hub for training educators. That knowledge will be available to students.
English is confident in the job opportunities highly trained graduates will see.
“They will be able to work at places that are not only dealerships for electric vehicles, but we’re also seeing more independents that are working with electric vehicles and hybrids,” he said. “Our graduates will be successful in those areas, too.”
He loves that Ferris State is helping lead the way in training students.
“Being innovative is what Ferris State has done all along, going back to Woodbridge Ferris,” English said. “This is one of the newest technologies. We are looking at what the market needs and we’re adapting to make sure our students are prepared to meet the demands.”
He added, “The new program contains concepts related to electric vehicles and fuel cells, helping graduates prepare for successful work in the sustainable transport industry, even as fueling methods and power strategies change.”
English noted the words of Ferris State President Bill Pink.
“As Dr. Pink would say, it’s about being relevant and responsive,” English said. “We want to be relevant and responsive to what we know employers want and need. We need to offer something that’s relevant to our students and to business and industry.”