Wind Turbine Technician Career

What Does a Wind Turbine Technician Do?

Wind turbine technicians, often called “wind techs,” are responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing wind turbines. Day to day tasks involve climbing turbine towers to inspect and troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems, as well as performing routine maintenance to keep turbines running smoothly.

Why Choose This Career?

The demand for wind turbine technicians is growing rapidly. As more wind farms are being built and existing infrastructure requires maintenance, opportunities in this sector are increasing.

Job Stability
Competitive Pay
Travel Opportunities
Hands On, Active Work

Steps to Become a Wind Turbine Technician

Pursue something or mechanical or electrical beforehand so you have that technical knowledge.
Complete GWO (Global Wind Organisation) Training
Gain on the job experience
Consider Specialisation – for example you may prefer the servicing of wind turbines over actually building them

Skills You Need to Succeed

Technical Aptitude: You’ll need a strong understanding of electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic systems.
Physical Fitness: You must be comfortable with climbing and working at heights, sometimes in adverse weather,
Problem-Solving Abilities: You will need the ability to troubleshoot and solve issues under pressure.
Communication: Often you will be required to work as a team.
Safety Awareness: Given the risks involved in working at heights and with heavy machinery, a strict adherence to safety protocols is critical.

What GWO certifications do I need?

GWO, the Global Wind Organisation, has formulated training standards to uphold a high level of safety and competence for professionals in the wind sector. These standards are made to enhance the skills and knowledge of workers in the wind industry, fostering a safe working environment.

These standards cover essential aspects of safety and emergency response that are specific to the wind industry.

The training modules address scenarios and challenges that workers may encounter while working on wind turbines or in related environments.

At minimum you will require GWO BST which stands for Basic Safety Training which includes four/five key modules:

GWO Fire Awareness
GWO First Aid
GWO Working at Heights
GWO Manual Handling
GWO Sea Survival – Only required if working offshore

Additional Certification:

Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, despite our desire for a straightforward solution.

The need for additional certificates can vary based on factors like the turbine’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the nature of the tasks you’re performing, and the specific policies of the company you’re employed with.

Some of these additional courses may include:

GWO Enhanced First Aid
GWO Basic Technical Training
GWO Advanced Rescue Training
GWO Slinger Signaller
GWO Blade Repair if looking to become a blade tech
CSCS card or CCNSG for active construction sites (Not GWO)
Outside of GWO you will also be required to sit a RUK Medical.

Please note this is only an example list and there may be others.

Ready to Start?

Looking to book in for your GWO Training? Check out our training academy courses, you can always reach out to us for support.