Electric Car Group Gets Worker Retraining Pact

A Monrovia firm that manufactures electric cars will administer a $1.8-million state contract to train workers to shift from aerospace and defense companies into the production of advanced transportation projects such as electric vehicles.

The contract from the state Employment Training Panel will be used to train up to 335 workers now employed by aerospace or defense firms in the nature of the electric car market, system design concepts and problem-solving in the production of electric cars, among other skills.

The contract was given to CALSTART, a nonprofit consortium formed by more than 40 corporations and public agencies to promote the production of electric cars. Amerigon Inc., a member of the consortium, will administer the 13-month training program, which runs through October, 1993.

“The people trained in this program will form the core of the highly skilled and growing work force which will help California capture a major share of this new industry,” Amerigon President Lon Bell said.

The state contract is funded by the employment training tax that employers pay as part of their contribution to state unemployment insurance.