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.
Global Wind Organisation / www.globalwindsafety.org
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