Technicians that work on wind turbines typically have the following skills:
- Mechanical aptitudes.
- Skills in collaboration and teamwork.
- Physical stamina and strength.
- Basic troubleshooting, software, and computer knowledge are required.
- The devil is in the details.
- Capacity to climb to vast heights.
- Working knowledge of wind turbine technician equipment.
To work on wind turbines, what kind of education do you need?
Service for wind turbines Wind turbine technicians specialize in the operation and maintenance of wind turbines so that they can generate electricity from the wind. Installing new turbines and doing routine maintenance to ensure that the wind turbines are running properly is part of their job. When a wind turbine isn’t working properly, these specialists respond and are in charge of making repairs once they’ve figured out what’s wrong.
Required Education
After acquiring a high school diploma or GED, wind turbine service technicians often require postsecondary education. Attending a technician school program and receiving a certificate or associate’s degree is common preparation for this vocation. All wind turbine servicing technicians must also complete up to a year of on-the-job training. An apprenticeship as a wind turbine service technician can also be pursued, which requires 144 hours of training and 2000 hours of paid work experience per year.
Required Skills
Because wind turbine service technicians are required to conduct physical work as part of their job, they must be physically fit and able to bend, lift equipment, and climb. Because they work at such a high altitude, it is critical that they are at ease with heights. Wind turbine service specialists need solid problem-solving abilities because their work also includes diagnosing the cause of mechanical problems and the capacity to conduct mechanical fixes.
Career and Salary Outlook
Technicians who work on wind turbines are now experiencing a rapid increase in employment. Wind turbine service technician job prospects are expected to grow by 68 percent between 2020 and 2030, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, trained technicians earned a median annual pay of $56,230 in 2020.
Is wind turbine technology difficult?
The wind business is all around you if you live in Abilene, Texas. I was looking for job in a technical profession as a retired Army officer and student at the FAA Airframe and Power Plant Technician School. I learned about a job opportunity with GE at a career fair and applied for a technician position right after.
I worked as a wind technician for four years, and every day was different. I worked on a troubleshooting team, which meant I spent my days as a “industrial detective” trying to figure out what was wrong with the turbines. I’d be assigned to a turbine that was having problems, and I’d spend my time trying to figure out why it wasn’t functioning. There was a lot of climbing and a lot of traveling involved. The work was difficult, but it was also extremely fulfilling and delightful. At Panther Creek in West Texas, where we service 305 turbines, I currently oversee a team of 32 technicians.
On a typical day, I arrive at work around 6:30 a.m. and begin planning my day. We decide what tasks must be completed and who will be assigned to which turbines. We have an environment, health, and safety meeting when the team arrives, we plan for the weather, we discuss special projects, and then the crew is sent out to conduct the day’s job.
Borescope checks, gearbox repairs, blade repairs, and pitch battery change outs are just a few of the special projects available on our site. Working as a site manager necessitates extensive communication with customers to ensure that they are informed about everything that is going on on the job site, as well as the status of maintenance and special projects. Managing a team of specialists also necessitates ensuring that the work is finished completely while adhering to all environmental, health, and safety regulations.
Working as a technician is physically taxing, especially for those over the age of 50. It’s difficult to work long hours, climb turbines several times a day, and deal with high heat in the summer and cold in the winter. Then there’s the mental anguish of working in a demanding management role. We talk about being an industrial athlete a lot in this industry, which means you have to take care of your physical health, well-being, and train your body for the job.
The individuals you get to work with are one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. People that work in the wind sector are dedicated, passionate, helpful, and generally enjoyable to be around. I was fortunate enough to have a fantastic colleague with whom I worked for three years as a troubleshooting technician. We worked as a team on the field, addressing difficult difficulties and keeping an eye out for one another in an industry that is inherently risky.
Furthermore, overcoming challenging problems in the field was quite fulfilling. It’s satisfying to work hard to find an issue and then figure out how to address it. And working in the wind sector allows you to solve those puzzles outside, in the countryside, with your hands, which is a wonderful sensation.
How do you keep up with emerging technologies, such as General Electric’s universal gearbox?
Technicians are frequently called in to assist with the commissioning of new GE technology locations. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the new features available in new units. GE also gives technicians with frequent training to introduce new technologies and techniques.
Being a wind technician necessitates a unique personality. You must be physically capable of coping with the strain that climbing the turbine places on your body, as well as mentally capable of overcoming technical hurdles on the apparatus. There is also a great deal of danger. GE has a number of policies in place to keep employees safe. They do their best, but the technicians in the field are the ones who live it every day and must enforce safe work procedures.
What advice would you provide to new wind technicians or those seeking a career in the field?
I’d tell them that it’s a tremendously gratifying and pleasurable career. Give it your best shot if you think it’s right for you. Internship programs, such as those offered by GE, are a terrific way to test the waters and get a taste of what your career or employment would entail.
Despite the fact that the wind industry is evolving, I do not believe it will vanish or be forgotten. Wind power, in my opinion, is here to stay. WPE
Is it worthwhile to train as a wind turbine technician?
Working on turbines not only provided a technical aspect, from hydraulics to composites, but it also provided decent salary and benefits, as well as the opportunity to travel. Wind turbine technicians are expected to rise by 68.2 percent between 2020 and 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Is wind energy a viable career option?
Wind energy is one of the most rapidly expanding job areas in the United States. In the United States, wind energy output has exceeded coal, and the job sector is expanding. Jobs in the renewable energy sector pay well.
Work Environment
Technicians that operate on wind turbines are usually found working outside, in cramped areas, and at tremendous heights. Although the majority of windtechs work full-time, they may be required to respond to emergencies on weekends and evenings.
Job Outlook
Wind turbine technicians’ employment is expected to expand by 68 percent between 2020 and 2030, substantially faster than the national average.
Over the next ten years, an average of 1,400 openings for wind turbine technicians are expected.
Many of those positions are projected to arise as a result of the need to replace people who change occupations or leave the workforce for other reasons, such as retirement.
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Additional resources, such as O*NET, a database of key characteristics of workers and vocations, might help you learn more about wind turbine technicians.
What are the tools used by a wind turbine technician?
A wind technician’s job includes a lot of technology and digital communication. They convey information regarding turbines from the field using radios, cell phones, and other technologies.
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How does it feel to work as a wind turbine technician?
Wind turbine technicians, often known as windtechs, are responsible for the installation, inspection, maintenance, operation, and repair of wind turbines. They can identify and correct any issue that may cause the turbine to shut down abruptly.
A windtech’s average yearly salary is $52,260. Based on experience and training, salaries range from $36,000 to more than $76,000.
Inspection of the towers’ exteriors; climbing the towers to inspect, troubleshoot, or repair equipment; collecting turbine data for testing and analysis; performing routine maintenance; testing electrical components, systems, and mechanical and hydraulic systems; and replacing worn out or malfunctioning components are just a few of the responsibilities.
How much do climbers of wind turbines earn?
In the United States, the average hourly salary for Sky Climber Renewables Wind Turbine Technicians is $17.99, which is 19% less than the national average.
Salary data is based on 383 data points gathered from employees, users, and historical and present job adverts on Indeed during the last 36 months.
Please keep in mind that all pay amounts are estimates based on Indeed submissions from third parties. These numbers are provided to Indeed users solely for the purpose of making broad comparisons. The minimum pay varies by jurisdiction, therefore you should check with your company for exact income figures.
Are the technicians who work on wind turbines content?
Wind turbine servicing technicians, it turns out, rank their job satisfaction at 3.2 out of 5 stars, putting them in the lowest 47 percent of all occupations.