Training & Jobs for Electrical Wind Turbines
As wind energy continues to grow, more people are needed to support this burgeoning industry. The industry needs engineers, wind turbine technicians, electrical engineers, designers, electricians, laborers and more. To meet this need colleges, universities and other higher education institutions are offering classes or certifications to provide the highly specialized workforce needed to keep this energy revolution moving. And some scholarship and grant programs are available to help you get into a new job in wind.
Other People Are Reading
-
Commercial vs. Residential
-
There are two main types of wind turbines, residential and commercial, and each have different labor demands. Residential wind turbines are much smaller and are usually installed by a small team of installers, and may not even need a crane to lift the tower. Commercial-scale wind turbines (those generating more than 50 kilowatts (kWs) of electricity), are generally much larger, need a larger crew of installers, technicians and engineers to install, as well as a crane to lift the heavy equipment, hundreds of feet into the air. Commercial-grade turbines also need a larger support crew, including electric engineers that monitor how the turbines integrate with the electric grid.
Wind Turbine Technicians
-
Wind turbine technicians are the people who help install turbines and have a good knowledge of electricity and the ability to read schematics related to the turbine. They're also not afraid to climb a 300-foot tower. These are also the people who climb wind turbine towers to perform maintenance on the turbine's generator system, including lubricating any parts that need it and checking its performance. They are needed both for commercial and residential applications. SimplyHired, a job site resource, reports that the salary for the average wind technician is $36,000 annually (as of June 2010).
-
Wind Engineers
-
Wind engineers tackle multiple, complex issues related to wind turbine design and development. They help design new turbines, decide which turbines are best suited for a location, test existing turbine designs for failure and success rates, among other things. Wind engineers are also needed to help monitor existing turbine systems and to design fixes for any parts of an existing turbine that has failed. According to Simply Hired, the average salary for a wind engineer (as of June 2010) is $60,000.
Wind Energy Training and Education
-
Colleges and universities are offering courses specific to wind energy jobs. Throughout the U.S. and likely throughout the world, higher education schools are now offering courses specific to the wind energy industry. These include colleges and universities, which offer some specialized training or four-year degrees in wind engineering or wind technician training. And some community colleges that offer two-year wind turbine technician programs. Check with your local higher education institution to see if they offer any classes in wind energy. Also, both the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and Green Careers Guide maintains a database of schools that offer higher education geared to the wind energy sector.
Scholarships and Incentives for Wind Energy Education
-
If you're pursuing a career in the wind turbine industry, scholarships and grants exist to help you finance your education. Many of these are offered by wind turbine manufacturers or non-profits like the AWEA or e8. When applying to an institution, contact their financial aid office to ask them what scholarships or grants are available to help support your education in wind turbines.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Construction of a Wind Turbine Location image by J3TPhotos from Fotolia.com college, londres, uk image by Jerome Dancette from Fotolia.com
