Explorations (ETA-ESW DCL): The Battery Manufacturing Project - Addressing the education and workforce needs of the evolving battery manufacturing and recycling industry

About This Grant

The Battery Manufacturing Project addresses a national priority by responding to the urgent need for a skilled workforce in lithium battery manufacturing and recycling, a rapidly expanding sector essential to energy growth and economic security. As U.S. demand for lithium batteries is projected to increase nearly sixfold by 2030, the country faces an estimated shortfall of more than 120,000 trained workers. Despite this growth, production and recycling capabilities remain constrained by midstream workforce gaps and limited access to specialized training. This project, led by Clemson University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in partnership with community colleges, career and technical education (CTE) centers, industry, and workforce agencies, seeks to build a strong talent pipeline by equipping CTE learners, two-year college students, and incumbent technicians with the knowledge and skills needed for career entry and advancement. By investing in targeted recruitment, technical education, and hands-on experiential learning, the project promotes the progress of science, advances economic prosperity, and supports U.S. leadership in battery technology. It also supports the development of a workforce capable of managing end-of-life battery recycling and resource recovery, which are critical to circular economy strategies and global competitiveness. The Battery Manufacturing project will implement a coordinated, cohort-based training model to address skill gaps in lithium battery manufacturing and recycling. The project will begin by refining a preliminary list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) through structured collaboration with industry partners to ensure alignment with current and future workforce needs. These validated KSAs will inform the design of an interdisciplinary curriculum that includes classroom instruction, virtual simulations, ADA-compliant virtual laboratories, and experiential learning modules. Instructional content will be delivered alongside mentoring, career exploration, and faculty development, supported by the creation of stackable digital badges and a certification framework. Over 240 participants in South Carolina and Michigan will take part in pilot cohorts, which will be used to evaluate curriculum effectiveness, learner outcomes, and the scalability of the model. Target populations include career and technical education students, two-year college learners, and incumbent technicians. A mixed-methods evaluation strategy will assess learning gains, technical proficiency, and credential attainment. Data will inform iterative improvements and help determine the transferability of the program to other regions. The project’s integrated approach will advance workforce readiness, strengthen educational infrastructure, and establish a replicable model for lithium battery workforce development nationwide. The ExLENT Program, supported by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals to increase their interest in and access to career pathways in emerging technology fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.