Education · 1 of 4

The path

One year 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 free of motion sickness.

2. 2

   Wind turbine technician program

   1 to 2 years

   Lethbridge Polytechnic in Alberta runs a one-year certificate with a real turbine on campus. A two-year electrical or mechanical technician diploma is the other common route.

3. 3

   Safety certificates

   About 1 week

   GWO (Global Wind Organisation) Basic Safety Training: first aid, manual handling, fire awareness, working at height, and sea survival for offshore work. Nearly every employer requires it.

4. 4

   Get hired

   Weeks to months

   Wind farm owners, turbine manufacturers and service contractors hire graduates directly. Most jobs are in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

5. 5

   Manufacturer training

   1 to 2 years on the job

   Each turbine brand trains technicians on its own machines. You become fully useful after a year or two on site.