Global Wind Workforce Outlook 2025-2030
Figure 6: Presence of Workforce Planning and Competence Management
The color coding has three levels, from lightest to darkest: Ad hoc ■ , Medium ■ and Integrated ■ . Users can find the detailed definitions in Chapter 7, Methodology.
Construction & Installation
Operation & Maintenance
EPC (installation and balance of plant & commissioning) The contracted work and projected income for the next 1–2 years are used to guide technician training and recruitment planning. With the expansion of construction demand, some EPCs have established task–skill– technician competence management systems and have begun investing in in-house training capacity.
OEM (installation and balance of plant & commissioning)
OEM owner/operator service function
Third-Party Recruiting
EPC (civil work, logistics)
Investor/Developer
ISP s
The transactional recruiting service company actively
is strongly embedded at the strategic level. OEMs benefit from robust internal resource pools, which allows them to align their workforce and competencies with the turbine technology roadmap, upcoming project pipelines, and the needs of the maintenance and service function.
ISPs demonstrate a high level of workforce planning. They expect their technicians to have well-rounded skills and experience with as many dierent turbine models as possible, to be able to solve issues eectively. Technicians from ISPs are often required for major maintenance and troubleshooting tasks, which often require senior expertise. ISPs that sign long-term service contracts will have a strong understanding of capacity management as well.
as a strategic planning process
maintains and manages technician competence, invests in programmes to attract new entrants to the industry, and innovatively integrates their data—CRM and competence management
Workforce planning is conducted on an ad hoc basis to support project scheduling and resource allocation. The process also supports the training and retention of experienced technicians, ensuring that skilled personnel are available for complex lifting, transport, and assembly operations across multiple projects.
OEM’s in-house maintenance function
OEMs have established task–skill–technician competence management systems and have long histories investing in in-house training capacity.
has a long history of skill development and strong technician competence. Also, when it comes to developing the workforce for the industry, we observe many technical and commercial leaders at EPC companies who have earlier careers in OEMs and asset owners’ service teams. Close collaboration between the OEM and the Operator’s in-house maintenance function in the area of maintenance is observed. The maintenance function also has a solid understanding of the turbine’s technical requirements and often takes an advisory role in manpower planning for maintenance projects.
as a competence management process
systems—to predict regional technician shortages.
Aside from a small number of oshore developers who have an established process, most implement it to meet compliance requirements, verifying contractor eligibility. Local workforce readiness is rarely considered during the Final Investment Decision (FID) stage, which occurs before contracts with construction partners are signed.
At the project management level, workforce planning in OEM installation and commissioning tends to be ad hoc and reactive. This is due to the high degree of subcontracting in project execution (onshore), where the OEM often provides key specialists rather than full installation teams. As a result, OEMs frequently operate in a Technical Advisor (TA) role, working closely with EPC contractors who supply the majority of on-site labour.
Regular workforce planning is carried out to maintain alignment between stang levels and project timelines.
as a project management process
its level of priority within organisations. This is due to the critical nature of maintenance activities, which require a higher level of technical skill – such as troubleshooting and system diagnostics – and are typically carried out by full-time
and project developers, to understand how workforce planning is positioned across different segments of the wind project development value chain.
The findings indicate that workforce planning practices tend to be function- dependent rather than organisation-wide. Moreover, the process is most developed within the maintenance sector, both in terms of its breadth of application and
employees under long-term contracts. As a result, maintenance workforce planning tends to be more structured and strategically integrated compared to other functions.
See the detailed definitions in Chapter 6, Methodology
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Chapter 4: Wind Projects Duty Holders and Workforce Planning
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