Median annual salary: $59,500
Is Wind Turbine Service Technicians one of the fastest-growing jobs?
Wind Turbine Service Technicians (also known as windtechs) is one of my top picks for best future careers because it is currently the fastest growing job in the US and many places around the world. The projected growth is truly exciting. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of wind turbine technicians is projected to grow 68 per cent from 2020 to 2030, far surpassing the average for all occupations. An average of 1,400 job vacancies for wind turbine technicians are projected each year over the decade.
How much do Wind Turbine Service Technicians get paid?
The median annual wage in the USA for wind turbine technicians is $59,500. Salaries range from $40,000 to more than $85,000, based on experience and training. In the UK, the salary for Wind Turbine Service Technicians ranges from £23,000 for a starter to £42,000 for experienced technicians.
What is a Wind Turbine Service Technician?
A wind turbine technician installs, inspects, maintains, operates, diagnoses and repairs wind turbines. Wind turbines are very tall mechanical machines that use wind to make electricity. Wind turns the propeller-like blades of a turbine around a rotor, which spins a generator, which creates electricity.
Wind turbine service technicians duties include, but are not limited to the following:
- Climbing wind turbine towers to inspect or repair wind turbine equipment, using safety harnesses and a variety of hand and power tools to do their work.
- Inspecting the structural integrity and the exterior of wind turbine towers
- Carrying out regular maintenance on wind turbines and servicing underground transmission systems, wind field substations, fiber optic sensing and control systems
- Testing and troubleshooting electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic systems and components, often using computers to diagnose electrical malfunctions.
- Replacing broken and faulty components
- Building new wind turbines (only some windtechs are involved in this)
What is the Windtechs working environment and conditions?
If you are considering a career as a Wind Turbine Service Technician, you should be comfortable with the following working environment and conditions:
- Working outdoors most of the time
- Working at great heights
- Climbing ladders, sometimes more than 260 feet tall, while wearing a fall protection harness and carrying tools.
- Working with a partner.
- Descending by sliding down a rope
- Working in confined spaces (ie the nacelle).
How to become a Wind Turbine Service Technician?
Most windtechs are trained at technical schools or community colleges where they usually complete certificates in wind energy technology. However, some people choose to extend their learning and achieve an associate’s degree. They then receive further crucial on the job training from their employer after hiring.
As part of their education and training, windtechs usually receive more than 12 months of on-the-job training related to the specific wind turbines they will maintain and service. This could include manufacturer training and / or an internship with a wind turbine servicing contractor.
Although it is not required, it is advisable to achieve professional certification. Some employers prefer to hire workers who have certification in workplace electrical safety, tower climbing, self-rescue and other related certifications. Often these are included as part of certificate and degree programs.
Some Wind Turbine Service Technicians learn their trade through an apprenticeship, which generally requires at least 2,000 hours on-the-job paid training and 144 hours of technical training each year they are on the programme. The time spent on the apprenticeship may be reduced if they have prior experience or training.
Some electricians also transition into a career as a windtech. However, they must still complete wind turbine training.
Wind Turbine Service Technician is an excellent career choice for the future because it is the fastest growing career, so it is an excellent career to consider for 2022 and for many years into the future. Based on my professional expertise in careers, employment, learning and skills and extraction of solid research from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics I have been able to extract and summarize key information for you to help you to learn more about a career as a Wind Turbine Service Technician. I hope this blog helped you to discover and explore Wind Turbine Service Technician as a potential career choice. To learn more and see my recommendations for Best Future Careers, read my blog article now!
