Digital Skills Integration and EV Technician Training: Mapping Core Competencies and Future Research Directions

This study examines the integration of Industry 4.0 digital skills into vocational training for electric vehicle (EV) technicians, with the aim of aligning conventional curricula with emerging technological demands. Using a PRISMA-based systematic literature review, 62 articles from 2024-2025 were analyzed from an initial pool of 421 Scopus-indexed documents. Findings indicate that technical competencies remain focused on battery management and fault detection, whereas newer technologies such as digital twins and predictive maintenance are still emerging. Though pedagogical evaluations are scarce, vocational training models include embedded, hybrid, and transformative approaches. Bibliometric analysis reveals strong clusters in energy storage and AI diagnostics research, dominated by East Asian authors, but with weak links to vocational education research. This study underscores the need to balance technical and digital competencies within EV-focused vocational curricula to enhance workforce readiness.