Wind turbine technician
Wind turbine technicians maintain and repair wind farm turbines on land and at sea.
Also known as: Renewable energy technician
- Starter salary£25,000 a year
- Experienced£47,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
- Green jobYes
What you'll do
As a wind turbine technician, you could:
- install wind turbine towers on land or at sea
- fit electrical, mechanical and hydraulic equipment
- test turbine blades and control systems
- carry out maintenance, find faults and fix them
- run safety checks on electrical substations and cables
- complete safety reports and record job details
Working environment
You could work in remote rural areas or at sea.
Your working environment may be at height and outdoors in all weathers.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- problem-solving skills
- the ability to use, repair and maintain tools and equipment
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to repair machines or systems
- knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
- knowledge of maths
- the ability to work well with others
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become a wind turbine technician
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
University
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
- renewable energy engineering
- electrical or mechanical engineering
- electrical power engineering
It might give you an advantage if your course includes the opportunity to get work experience through summer internships or a year in industry.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You could do a college course, which could help you to get a trainee job with a wind turbine engineering company.
Courses include:
- electrical and electronic engineering
- mechanical engineering technology
- T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, such as:
- Maintenance Operations Engineering Technician
- Engineering Technician
- Engineering Maintenance Technician
These can take between 3 and 4 years to complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Direct application
You can apply directly for jobs if you've got qualifications and experience in electrical or mechanical engineering from another industry, or from the armed forces.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass background checks
- have a full driving licence
You'll also need safety training to work on wind turbines. This could include sea survival if you're working offshore. Your employer will let you know what's required.
Career path and progression
You could become an authorised technician, with responsibility for supervising a technical team, and dealing with health and safety.
With further training, you could also work as:
- an operations and maintenance manager
- a control systems engineer
- an energy engineer
Career tips
Companies are predicted to need more wind turbine technicians in the future as industries move towards using renewable energy sources.
Guides for this industry
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