The Wind Technician Boom is Here
Looking for a job? Don’t want to do much in the way of training? Want to help out the environment? You may be the perfect person to become a wind technician! At least, that would definitely seem to be the way of things if the latest news is to be believed.
Apparently, community colleges in North Dakota, among other states, are beginning to train wind turbine technicians; those who are trained in maintaining and repairing those giant wind turbines that make us all that lovely energy.
“The demand (for wind technicians) is such that some (colleges) have been trying to keep companies away from the program because they want everybody to graduate first,” said Christine Real de Azua, a spokeswoman for the American Wind Energy Association. “In some cases, students are being picked up after only a couple of months.”
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According to that same association, there are now more than 25,000 wind turbines out there, with nowhere near enough people to service them.
And apparently, the biggest challenge for the community colleges is getting their students to stay around for the whole course. No, they don’t get tired of it. They get hired!
But beware if you choose the life of a wind technician. It isn’t for everyone, says Dwaine Higgins, who recently graduated from a college training program in Iowa Lakes. “You never know what you may have to deal with,” he said. “When you are 300 feet in the air, it is not always easy to get a hand from another person.”
It comes as no surprise to many of us that new jobs are being created through the use of environmentally friendly processes. And in a day and age where the unemployment rate is crashing through the roof, one would imagine – or at least hope – that such other trends will become evident as the months and years go by, and advances and steps forward are made.
Quotes thanks to MSNBC article ‘Community colleges tap into wind energy boom.’
credit: EdTarwinski at Flickr under a Creative Commons license
Does anyone know if the companies will still hire you if you have a felony charge against you like dwi. i was laid off from the oilfield after 7 years and clearly there is a future for this industry, however if companies wont hire someone who has a felony such as myself sadly i dont want to spend the money on the associates course they offer and find a good mcdonalds or maybe a walmart greeter job. thanks ahead tg
Please can anyone tell me who or where to go or contact about wind turbine training, school,864-346-3438 or kennethbickle@yahoo.com
I am bout to graduate high school in december and i have been looking into the wind turbine technician degree. you can find school at http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/schools_training.asp..
In response to Brad’s question about a wind technician salary and such, this is what I found;
A wind technician’s job can range from construction to maintenance and repairs on wind turbines. Some sources on AWEA’s web site say that for every 10 wind turbines that are built, 1 new wind tech is needed for maintenance and repair. Reports of what they make vary. Some now report a high hourly salary with a low per diem that totals around $65,000 per year on average in places with higher costs of living. Others report a medium salary with a high per diem that can total north of $75,000 a year. Many employers also issue a company truck for work related duties. As with everything compensation depends on supply and demand from employers, which right now appears to be pretty high and in employee’s favor. If you would like more information you can go to AWEA’s website or look up a good wind technician training program like California Wind Tech or AEI. It looks like there are other jobs in the wind industry in demand now too.