RAMPing Up EV Talent: Rivian and Heartland’s Workforce Strategy

At SME FUSION 2025, the session RAMPing Up: Driving the Rivian EV Manufacturing Talent Pipeline showcased an innovative public-private partnership between Rivian Automotive, Heartland Community College, and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Together, they’re tackling a shared challenge: how to build a sustainable, skilled workforce fast enough to keep pace with the rapid expansion of electric vehicle manufacturing in Illinois.

Hugh Shadeed, Director of Learning and Development – Rivian

Adam Campbell, Dean, Career & Technical Education – Heartland Community College

Dan McManus, Deputy Director, External Relations – Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity

Dan Sloan, Director of Industry & Workforce Partnerships – SME

Workforce Challenges

As Rivian ramps up production in Normal, Illinois, it’s faced significant hurdles:

• Low manufacturing experience in the local labor pool
  The region is historically white-collar, and many job candidates have never worked in production.
• Perception issues around manufacturing careers
  Outdated stereotypes—continue to deter potential workers and their families.
• Recruitment limitations
  Talent is mostly drawn from within a 45-minute radius, and relocation remains a challenge due to housing.
• Training infrastructure gaps
  The existing Rivian training center was off-site, causing logistical issues and time loss in shuttling employees. It also lacked advanced automation and training capabilities.
• Language and literacy barriers
  Local populations with limited English proficiency weren’t being effectively reached or supported in training.
• Late-stage training involvement
  Training was often an afterthought in the product development cycle, rather than an integrated step.

How Rivian and Heartland Are Solving It

To overcome these barriers, Rivian partnered with Heartland Community College to launch the Rivian Automotive Manufacturing Pipeline (RAMP)—a cross-sector strategy for building, onboarding, and upskilling talent. Here’s how they’re making it work:

• Immersive, two-week onboarding at a new Rivian Training Center
  The program includes simulated assembly lines, torque and wiring exercises, and department-specific modules (battery, drive unit, general assembly). It certifies new hires in safety, quality, and speed before they hit the floor.
• Use of repurposed equipment and hands-on modules
  Rivian transformed retired plant equipment into active training tools, such as the “Station Success” conveyor to teach basic assembly skills and flow.
• Support for advanced training
  Rivian is investing in VR simulations and automation training—while working with state partners to secure engineering and instructional support to make it scalable.
• Collaboration with Heartland’s Advanced Manufacturing Center
  Heartland used a $7.5M state grant to build new labs in EV tech, welding, robotics, and more, creating a brand-agnostic training hub for Rivian and other local employers.
• Flexible course design to meet employer needs
  Heartland developed “off-book” training modules in high-demand areas like mechatronics and controls that bypass slow academic approval processes. This included utilizing Tooling U-SME online classes.
• State-backed funding and outreach
  Illinois’ DCEO supports the pipeline through apprenticeship grants, training reimbursement (up to 50%), and its “Make It In Illinois” campaign to shift public perception and drive new talent into the field.

A Scalable Model for EV Workforce Development

What makes this partnership stand out isn’t just proximity or shared goals, it’s the system-level thinking. By aligning incentives, leveraging state funding, modernizing training delivery, and building trust between education and industry, Rivian and Heartland are helping reshape the narrative and structure of advanced manufacturing careers.

As more EV manufacturers look to expand in the U.S., this partnership offers a blueprint: real-time, place-based training aligned with production goals, where skill and will go hand in hand.

For more details on this topic, check out the presentation recap from SME FUSION 2025.