Job Roles in Wind
Mapping Career Pathways for Wind Turbine Technicians
Publication date: 23 May 2025
Job Roles in Wind
Key Objectives and Overview
With increasing demand for wind energy professionals, GWO has launched an initiative to inform and inspire students, early-career professionals and job seekers about career opportunities in wind energy. This initiative has been divided into two parts: 1) A generalised, engaging guide to promote career opportunities and highlight key roles within the wind energy sector. 2) A strategy to enhance connections with educational institutions by creating links between courses and technical training programmes and careers in wind energy, making it easier for students and career advisors to align educational decisions with job opportunities.
This report will address part one of this initiative, providing the baseline content for strategic communications initiatives outlined in part two. This document contains four deliverables:
Training Availability: Graphic demonstrating the distribution of training sources as the technician becomes more advanced in their career
Career Pathways Map: Typical career trajectories for wind technicians
Job Roles Profiles: Descriptions of responsibilities and skills required for 15 different positions
Educational channels: Types of key institutions available to acquire qualifications needed to work in the wind industry
Definition: Wind Turbine Technician
A wind turbine technician is a broad term for professionals who are responsible for assembling, installing, inspecting, servicing, maintaining, operating and repairing wind turbines. They work in teams of experienced technicians on tasks related to building new turbines, pre-assembling towers, installing nacelles, hubs, blades and electrical systems, often with entry-level technicians assisting. During operations, technicians focus on maintenance and inspections, repairing components and replacing worn-out parts to optimise the power generation of the wind turbine. Technicians must follow manuals, specifications and industry standards to ensure tasks are completed correctly and safely. Wind turbines are typically located in remote, onshore or offshore locations, requiring technicians to work in challenging weather conditions, often far from home. They must be able to climb towers up to 80 metres high, using climb assist equipment in some cases, to access the nacelle where most components are located. They work in an environment with complex electrical and mechanical equipment and must be able to identify and mitigate the risks associated with their work. Given the physically demanding nature of the job, technicians need to be in good physical condition, as they frequently work in small spaces and at great heights. This role requires technicians to be comfortable with these environments and to be able to perform tasks in harsh conditions.
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Job Roles in Wind
Defining Job Levels
Employers in the wind industry use internal frameworks, rather than standardised ones, to describe responsibilities associated with career progression for technicians. Some organisations classify positions using a numbering system (e.g. Wind Technician I, II, III), and others use qualifying language to signify ranked levels of responsibility (e.g. Wind Turbine Apprentice, Competent Technician, Senior Technician) but these frameworks do not often align across organisations. GWO’s occupational map is divided into the following generalised categories to define job levels across organisations:
Entry: Completes tasks under supervision
Intermediate: Completes tasks using a work instruction
Advanced: Uses problem-solving skills to complete tasks creatively, selecting or creating work instructions
Leadership: Manages teams to complete tasks
Identifying Training Needs
Wind turbine technicians receive a combination of in-house and external training throughout their careers. As an international, industry-recognised standard, GWO offers foundational safety and technical training that technicians generally receive in external training facilities. This standardised training can fulfil much of the training needs for new workers entering the industry. But as wind technicians advance in their careers, the demand for more specialised technical training and education grows. As a result, a greater share of higher-level, wind turbine model-specific training happens in-house. Additional technical education for electrical and mechanical systems is necessary for more complex problem solving, which either occurs in-house or within technical vocational institutions.
Training Source Distribution*
∗ Please note that sections of this illustrative chart do not correspond to fixed percentages or data sets.
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Job Roles in Wind
For workers transitioning into the wind industry from other sectors, prior education and skills can fulfil education needs at intermediate and advanced levels. But the unfulfilled elements of the core safety training and wind turbine-specific training must still be completed prior to starting work. Identifying Job Roles The GWO Job Roles Map is a general introduction to high-volume roles and career opportunities that exist in the construction and operations sectors of the wind industry. With this guide, jobseekers will be able to identify opportunities and potential career pathways in wind. Stakeholders can also use the language in the framework as a starting point to identify target audiences for training beyond the entry level. Wind Technicians advance to new roles through education, technical certifications and field experience. As their careers progress, technicians may take on higher levels of responsibility within their teams or obtain new certifications to specialise in a new role.
Wind Technician Job Roles Map
Wind Technician Career Pathways
Wind technician job roles are grouped into 4 career pathways or work areas:
• Pre-Assembly • Installation • Service • Blade Repair
Pre-Assembly Job roles in staging locations, where technicians prepare wind turbine components for installation. Common tasks in this work area include:
1) Inspecting components upon delivery to site 2) Assembling tower sections 3) Preparing nacelle, tower and blades for installation
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Job Roles in Wind
4) Using necessary tools and equipment safely 5) Following safe working procedures and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) Pre-Assembly Wind Technician Roles As they gain training and experience, pre-assembly wind technicians can specialise in their role or grow into a leadership position on their team. These roles are typically project-based on a wind turbine construction site or assembly area and may require frequent travel.
• Pre-Assembly Support Technician • Assembly Technician • Lead Technician / Supervisor / Foreman • Construction Manager
Installation Job roles involved in building wind turbines, installing electrical systems and mechanical and electrical testing up to and including the startup of new wind turbines. Common tasks in this work area include: 1) Carrying out installation tasks, e.g. component preparation, tower, nacelle and blade installation 2) Performing system tests prior to energisation 3) Completing the startup checklist 4) Using necessary tools and equipment safely 5) Following safe working procedures and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) Installation Wind Technician Roles As they gain training and experience, installation wind technicians can specialise in their role or grow into a leadership position on their team. These roles are typically project based on a wind turbine construction site and may require frequent travel.
• Installation Support Technician • Commissioning Technician • Troubleshooting Technician • Lead Technician / Supervisor / Foreman • Construction Manager
Service Job roles involved in maintaining and repairing machinery or components during the operational phase of a wind turbine. Common tasks in this work area include: 1) Performing planned and unplanned maintenance and repairs on wind turbines 2) Replacing or upgrading components on wind turbines to maximise operational performance 3) Using necessary tools and equipment safely 4) Following safe working procedures and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) Service Wind Technician Roles As they gain training and experience, service wind technicians can specialise in their role or grow into a leadership position on their team. These roles are typically locally based on an operating wind turbine site, and most do not require frequent travel.
• Service Support Technician • Service Technician • Repair Technician: Electrical and Mechanical
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Job Roles in Wind
• Troubleshooting Technician • Field Engineer • Lead Technician / Supervisor • Site Manager
Blade Repair Job roles involved in maintaining and repairing the fibreglass/composite blades throughout the operational life of wind turbines. Common tasks in this work area include: 1) Inspecting damaged wind turbine blades 2) Installing after-market blade enhancements to improve production efficiency 3) Repairing minor or cosmetic damage to the surface of wind turbine blades 4) Performing complex structural repairs to blades 5) Using necessary tools and equipment safely, often from an elevated or suspended platform 6) Following safe working procedures and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) Blade Technician Roles As they gain training and experience, blade repair technicians perform increasingly complex, structural repairs. These roles frequently require travel between construction and service sites, based on repair needs.
• Blade Repair Technician • Advanced Blade Repair Technician • Blade Repair Supervisor Wind Technician Role Definitions
Technician Type
Job Profile
Pre-Assembly Support Technician
A pre-assembly support technician works in staging locations of a wind turbine, such as lay-down areas or ports, assisting higher-level technicians in the preparation of wind turbine components for installation by inspecting, cleaning and installing them. As an entry-level role, support technicians typically have minimal prior education or transferable experience with electrical, mechanical or hydraulic systems. An installation support technician works on a wind turbine construction site, assisting higher-level technicians in building wind turbines, installing electrical systems and performing electrical testing. As an entry-level role, support technicians typically have minimal prior education or transferable experience with electrical, mechanical or hydraulic systems. A service support technician typically works on a fixed, operating wind site, assisting higher-level technicians in performing scheduled maintenance and repairs on wind turbines. As an entry-level role, support technicians generally have minimal prior education or transferable experience with electrical, mechanical or hydraulic systems. An assembly technician works in staging locations to prepare wind turbine components for installation, including inspecting, cleaning and installing parts. As an intermediate role, assembly technicians complete tasks independently, following a work instruction. They may or may not lead more junior technicians.
Installation Support Technician
Service Support Technician
Assembly Technician
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Job Roles in Wind
Commissioning Technician
A commissioning technician performs visual and mechanical inspections and electrical testing in support of initial wind turbine start-up. As an intermediate role, commissioning technicians complete tasks using a defined start-up checklist. They have wind turbine-specific training and experience, as well as a technical skills profile (electrical, mechanic and hydraulic). A service technician performs scheduled maintenance on wind turbines. As an intermediate role, service technicians typically follow a controlled process using service inspection checklists. They have wind turbine-specific training and experience, as well as a technical skills profile (electrical, mechanic and hydraulic). A repair technician performs unscheduled, specialised repairs of failed components on a wind turbine. As an intermediate role, repair technicians typically complete their tasks following work instructions and may specialise in either mechanical or electrical repairs. They have wind turbine-specific training and experience, as well as a technical skills profile (electrical, mechanical and hydraulic). A troubleshooter is a specialised technician role. At the advanced level, the troubleshooter identifies and repairs common, recurring and component faults on a wind turbine. They have extensive wind turbine training and experience, as well as electrical education and certification. A field engineer performs advanced troubleshooting and provides technical support to service teams. At the advanced level, the field engineer has an electrical or mechanical education, combined with experience in the wind industry. They provide both remote and on-site support, as needed. A lead technician is primarily responsible for overseeing service technicians. On a construction site, this role is typically known as a foreman. This role includes developing strategy for improving maintenance diagnostics and operations, as well as training more junior technicians. This leadership role reflects the high degree of competency in wind turbine systems lead technicians have and indicates that they may have prior experience leading teams. A blade technician is a specialised technician role. At the intermediate level, they use work instructions to complete minor repairs and apply protective coats to maintain the wind turbine blades. Blade technicians typically have prior experience working with composite materials such as fibreglass, coming from industries such as the marine or auto industry. At the advanced level, blade technicians utilise problem-solving skills to perform defect analysis and leverage advanced wind turbine knowledge to make structural repairs of fibreglass and composite components of a wind turbine. A blade repair supervisor is a specialised technician role. At the leadership level, they perform evaluations of blade repairs and blade teams, develop new and update existing work instructions and oversee training of their team. A construction manager oversees operations, safety and logistics on a wind turbine construction site from inception to completion. At the leadership level, this involves overseeing construction contracts, monitoring construction activity and performance, overseeing the budget and managing personnel. A site manager oversees operations, safety and logistics in a wind turbine environment. At the leadership level, this involves working with engineering teams for diagnostics, overseeing the budget and managing personnel.
Service Technician
Repair Technician
Troubleshooter
Field Engineer
Lead Technician / Supervisor / Foreman
Blade Technician
Advanced Blade Technician
Blade Repair Supervisor
Construction Manager
Site Manager
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Job Roles in Wind
Additional Wind Site Role Definitions
In addition to the roles above which demonstrate typical career progressions of a wind turbine technician beyond the entry-level, a wind turbine technician may choose to move to a more specialised role with additional education or training. The roles listed below need not start as an Entry-Level Wind Technician and may obtain the necessary skills and qualifications from outside the wind industry. High Voltage Technicians A High Voltage Technician is a specialised electrician role that performs operations, maintenance and repair of high-voltage assets on a wind site. This involves ensuring safety from the electrical system is established, monitored and maintained while work is in progress.
Typical high voltage (HV) technician roles: • HV Switchgear Operator • HV Maintenance Technician: transformer and switchgear
• HV Troubleshooting Technician • HV Controls and Relay Technician
HSE Professionals A Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Professional is concerned with the health, safety and environmental standards on a wind turbine site. This involves conducting risk assessments, effectively communicating procedures to prevent incidents, conducting incident investigations and ensuring teams follow legal requirements regarding safety.
Typical HSE Professional roles: • HSE Coordinator
• HSE Specialist • HSE Manager
Heavy Lifting These roles support the lifting and rigging operations of large components associated with the installation of wind turbines and the replacement of major components during operations.
Typical Heavy Lifting roles: • Rigger • Signaller/Spotter • Crane Oiler/Greaser
• Crane Operator • Lift Supervisor
Other Speciality Roles These are other office-based, skilled roles often associated with wind turbine installation and operations: • Remote Control/Surveillance Technician • SCADA Technician/Engineer • Project Coordinator • Project Manager • Electrical Engineer • Mechanical Engineer
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Job Roles in Wind
Acquiring Qualifications to Work in Wind
The wind industry continues to experience double-digit growth, requiring an increased influx of qualified personnel across all roles and a corresponding investment in people and skills. As the industry develops and technology advances, a workforce equipped to tackle increasingly sophisticated challenges is essential. Since 2020, GWO and GWEC have worked together to produce the Global Wind Workforce Outlook. According to our most recent report published in 2024, the total workforce demand in construction and installation (C&I) and operations and maintenance (O&M) segments is expected to rise to 532,000 technicians from the current 517,000. A critical challenge is that meeting the 2028 forecast will require the recruitment of approximately 40% of the total workforce between 2024 and 2028. A shortage of qualified personnel exists in all markets where the wind industry is expanding, and educational systems are gradually adapting to meet industry demands. Historically, most wind technicians have transitioned from adjacent energy sectors, such as oil and gas, with mechanical, technical or engineering backgrounds. Today, the pool of transitioners is expanding to include individuals from military and defence, agriculture, manufacturing and other sectors. Governments, renewable energy associations and trade unions are contributing to upskilling those seeking to enter the industry who are currently unemployed or require redirection from declining sectors. The younger generation is keen to contribute to the energy transition and actively seeks entry-level opportunities in wind and other renewables sectors, pursuing education in higher education institutions or professional schools. There is no single-entry route to the wind industry. The optimal individual path depends on an assessment of the alignment with, and gaps between, personal skills and the targeted job role and entry level, as discussed previously. In the earlier sections of this document, we explored the relationship between job levels and training needs based on career transition. In this final section, we outline the most common channels for acquiring relevant skills. This diagram illustrates the correspondence between industry joiner cohorts and available training types and educational channels.
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Training channels available for the workforce joining the wind industry
GWO-certified training providers (TPs) – Over 570 organisations have been audited and approved to deliver safety training according to Global Wind Organisation standards. These providers deliver courses based on GWO training standards – safety, technical and role-specific – in response to demand from wind industry players who outsource their training programmes to specialised commercial entities. Typically, courses offered by these providers deliver a basic education sufficient for entry-level technicians with no or minimum prior wind industry experience. General training providers/centres – Other commercial organisations delivering training on demand, including for wind industry companies, but not necessarily GWO-certified. These centres provide training as a service to market players based on their needs and requirements, as dictated by job roles and local regulations, to ensure individuals are qualified to perform their duties. When a company mandates GWO training standards for their personnel and contractors, these individuals require additional training from a GWO-certified provider. Company-owned training centres – Training facilities owned by wind industry players (manufacturers, developers, operators, etc.) providing highly specialised, industry-specific training tailored to their equipment and procedures. These facilities ensure technicians are proficient in maintaining and repairing the company's specific wind turbine models, often featuring proprietary technologies. In most cases, major wind industry companies certify their in-house training centres to GWO standards. They equip their personnel with additional skills related to company-specific technology, equipment, job profiles, levels and procedures. This approach ensures technicians are immediately productive and adhere to the company's stringent standards. Transition bodies and employment centres – Public entities working to create the infrastructure and support systems necessary for a smooth transition of individuals between industries, including the transition of workers from declining sectors, such as fossil power sector, to careers in renewable energy.
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These bodies may have their own network of training or reskilling centres or collaborate with publicly funded universities, vocational training centres or certified training providers. Vocational education and technical schools – Provide practical, hands-on training to prepare technicians for the wind industry, particularly for those from non-technical or non-renewables backgrounds. These schools develop general skillsets required for the power sector and renewables, and specialised skills for technical jobs in wind turbine maintenance and repair, such as electrical, hydraulic and mechanical systems. Curricula align with industry standards and certifications, including GWO, ensuring graduates are qualified for the workforce. Community colleges – Play a similar role to vocational schools but deliver full diploma-backed educational programmes in specific regions, primarily for young people obtaining their first educational qualification and job. They emphasise hands-on learning, providing essential skills recognised in the job market. Many community colleges collaborate with industry partners to develop curricula which meets the specific needs of the wind energy sector. Higher education institutions (universities) – Contribute to the wind industry technician workforce by providing a strong foundation in engineering principles and advanced technical knowledge. While vocational and community colleges focus on practical skills, universities offer deeper theoretical understanding of electrical, mechanical and materials engineering, crucial for complex troubleshooting and innovation. They develop programmes combining theoretical studies with practical applications, including laboratory work and industry collaborations. Universities also play a vital role in research and development, contributing to advancements in wind turbine technology and training future engineers. Obtaining appropriate training is a costly process, and governments are increasingly recognising this issue, investing in and subsidising transition programmes to assist employers and job seekers in acquiring the necessary skills at a reasonable cost. These programmes are increasingly available in countries actively developing renewable energy sources and seeking to redirect the workforce to areas of need. The GWO REcognition scheme is a new pathway to becoming a qualified wind technician for groups with relevant legacy training. REcognition is specifically designed to leverage existing training; supplement it where needed and align it with GWO’s globally recognised wind technician training.
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