BattChallenge RHIT - Vigo Voltage

Last week's Battery Workforce Challenge Year 2 Winter Workshop not only served as a great chance to reconnect with sponsors and fellow competitors, and gain training, but also served as the final gateway for our team to build our battery module and disconnect unit! After receiving judge feedback on our designs from the competition sponsor companies and organizers, we feel confident moving into the next phase of the competition. On the Project Management side, we were challenged in new ways from previous workshops through the cell welding strategy presentation and collaborating closely with other teams in the Teamwork module! Overall, it was an amazing event that brought out the best in each team member to test their presentation skills and teamwork coordination! We even spent an evening go-karting as a team, as a fun bonding event! #CelebrateSuccess #BattChallenge #Workforce #RoseHulman #IvyTech #Reflections #Progress

The final day of the Battery Workforce Challenge Y2 Winter Workshop gave us the opportunity to participate in sponsor Eaton's Project Management Assessment Center (PMAC)! Project Manager Jack Martin and Vocational Lead Christopher Sanders took part in the project, working with other team leadership to solve problems and practice their team management skills. Here's what they had to say about the activity: "This was our first opportunity to collaborate with other schools towards an industry-relevant issue. It was rewarding to be tested on our teamwork abilities, our ability to work under pressure, and our project management tools!" #ProjectManagement #BattChallenge #RoseHulman #IvyTech

Day 2 of the Battery Workforce Challenge Winter Workshop was highlighted by a panel of industry executives from Stellantis, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), American Battery Technology Company, and Argonne National Laboratory, who spoke about what's to come in the electric vehicle industry! Our team got the chance to hear about the direction of the electric vehicle industry, how top OEMs are navigating the evolving landscape, and how companies are aiming to bridge the gap in recyclability of batteries! Thank you to Michael Bly, Mark Champine, Alycia Gilde, Ryan Melsert, and Kristen G. Wahl for their valuable expertise and insights! #BatteryExec #WorkforceLeadership #BattChallenge #RoseHulman #IvyTech

During yesterday's sponsor social, team member Ian Myska got the chance to speak with competition sponsor Eaton, and gain some super valuable insight into the EV workforce. Here's what he had to say about the company: "Eaton has been a great help so far in this competition as a sponsor! My biggest takeaway from their assistance in workforce development has been them providing components such as the Breaktor, so that we can use top-of-the-line products to understand what will be used in industry when we get there." We are so grateful for awesome sponsors like Eaton for helping create the valuable opportunities that Battery Workforce Challenge has! #SponsorAppreciation #BattChallenge #RoseHulman #IvyTech

Our Vigo Voltage students took advantage of the great opportunity to converse with 9 different sponsor companies of the Battery Workforce Challenge at the Winter Workshop Sponsor Social! We got the opportunity to learn more about these companies, work opportunities, and how they contribute to the mission of BattChallenge.

From February 27 to March 1, the Battery Workforce Challenge teams will gather in Greenville, S.C. for an immersive training experience focused on advanced vehicle technology innovation. Students will gain hands-on experience, industry insights, and professional mentorship to accelerate their careers in the fast-evolving battery and automotive sectors. Key highlights include: ? Hands-on training with leading industry experts such as Ajay Gnanasekaran, the BattChallenge director; Michael Bly, Stellantis’ senior vice president and head of global propulsion systems; Mark Champine, SVP Product Development - North America Technical Centers at Stellantis Alycia Gilde, U.S. Department of Energy’s senior advisor for transportation and partnerships, and Kristen G. Wahl, Argonne National Laboratory’s Sustainable Transportation Education and Partnerships director, and Ryan Melsert, CEO/CTO at American Battery Technology Company. ? Design reviews with top professionals from Stellantis North America, The Battery Innovation Center, Eaton, AVL in North America, Analog Devices, Gamma Technologies, MathWorks, Vibration Research, Volta Foundation ? The Ram Professional ProMaster EV Van – the competition’s platform ? In-depth learning on Obeya, a key theme for the upcoming May 2025 Competition This event is an opportunity for students to engage with top companies emersed in battery technology. Read more here: https://bit.ly/4bjKs3s #BatteryWorkforce #FutureTalent #VehicleTechnology #EngineeringCareers #AutomotiveIndustry

After a full day of travel from Indianapolis, we have touched down in Greenville, South Carolina for the Battery Workforce Challenge Year 2 Winter Workshop! We can't wait for all of the exciting learning opportunities this week, and to catch up with the awesome event organizers, sponsors, and fellow competitors! #MeetOurTeam #BattChallenge #RoseHulman #IvyTech

Last week, I had a fantastic opportunity to go Detroit, Michigan for the Year 2 Fall Workshop with the RHIT/IVTCC Battery Workforce Challenge team to present the designs for the EV battery that had been worked on for the last year. It was a great experience, learning new things from the judges/sponsors, hearing feedback on the presentations, and hearing the extraordinary support from the sponsors… and the food, can’t forget the delicious food! I was selected in a raffle at the Sponsor Social for a great opportunity to meet and have coffee with senior vice president, head of global propulsion systems - Stellantis N.V. Michael Bly at the Year 2 Winter Workshop at the end of February! This is my first year apart of this competition and I’ve learned so much from my Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Ivy Tech Community College peers on the several components that go into to designing an EV battery and the true meaning of team work through team building. I’ve had an amazing time working on this project and can’t wait to see what else this competition may hold for us! #Eaton #Stellantis #BatteryWorkforceChallenge

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Battery Workforce Challenge Fall Workshop in Detroit with the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Ivy Tech Community College team, representing as the Thermal Systems Team Lead. It was an amazing experience connecting with industry experts from Stellantis, Argonne National Laboratory, AVL, Gamma Technologies, Eaton, and more. Their insights and guidance fueled my excitement to drive innovation and develop efficient, safe battery packs! During the workshop, I dove into topics such as automotive thermal solutions, battery pack thermal propagation, DFMEA, and social media communication. Each session broadened my understanding and provided valuable tools to tackle real-world challenges in the electric vehicle industry. I am looking forward to applying what I’ve learned to create impactful solutions. I wanted to thank my team that I worked with to produce our work. Also, a special thanks to Dr. Chambers, Dr. Brooks, and Dr. Pritchett for supervising us and helping with all the work. I have learnt so much from them. I am excited to bring our improvements next time to the Winter Workshop! #BatteryWorkforceChallenge #ElectricVehicles #Innovation #ThermalSystems #BatteryTechnology BattChallenge RHIT

The Battery Workforce Challenge Fall Workshop is officially underway, and today, teams received their key fobs to the Ram Professional ProMaster? EV! This key ceremony symbolizes the start of an impactful learning journey where students from top North American universities will gain hands-on experience in EV battery technology. Thanks to the support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Stellantis, and other industry partners, these students are equipped to drive the future of EV innovation and workforce development. ?? Batt Challenge CSULA - Cerritos College (California State University, Los Angeles and Cerritos College) ?? Battery Workforce Challenge Clemson University (Clemson University and Greenville Technical College) ?? Battery Workforce Challenge at Colorado School of Mines (Colorado School of Mines and Arapahoe Community College) ?? Battery Workforce Challenge JSU (Jackson State University and Hinds Community College) ?? BattChallengeMAC (McMaster University and Mohawk College) ?? BattChallenge RHIT (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Ivy Tech Community College) #Workforce #RamProMasterEV #EVWorkforce #SustainableMobility #CleanEnergy #FutureOfWork