Wind Turbine Technician

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Education · 1 of 4

The path

One or two years of college, safety certificates, then a wind farm hires you.

  1. 1

    High school diploma

    Grade 12

    Math, physics and a shop class. You must also be fit enough to climb, comfortable with heights and not prone to motion sickness.

  2. 2

    Wind turbine technician program

    1 to 2 years

    Lethbridge Polytechnic in Alberta runs a one year certificate with a campus training tower and a real nacelle (the housing at the top of a turbine). St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario, runs a two year diploma.

  3. 3

    Safety certificates

    During or after the program

    GWO (Global Wind Organisation) Basic Safety Training: first aid, manual handling, fire awareness, working at height, and sea survival for offshore work. It is the industry's standard safety training.

  4. 4

    Get hired

    Weeks to months

    Wind farm owners, turbine manufacturers and service contractors hire graduates directly. The jobs are where the wind farms are, usually in rural areas.

  5. 5

    Manufacturer training

    On the job

    Each turbine brand has its own machines, so employers train you on the models they run.