Education · 1 of 5

The path

One or two years of technical training, then straight onto a site. No license, no exam and no degree.

1. 1

   High school diploma or equivalent

   Grade 12

   Physics, math and shop class. Get comfortable at height and in confined spaces before you commit to this.

2. 2

   Wind energy technology program

   1 to 2 years

   A one-year certificate or two-year associate degree at a technical or community college, covering electrical systems, hydraulics, mechanical drives and safety.

3. 3

   Safety and rescue training

   1 to 2 weeks

   Tower climbing, fall protection, first aid and rescuing an injured coworker from inside a turbine. Usually the employer runs it.

4. 4

   First job on a site

   1 to 3 years

   Scheduled maintenance on a fleet of turbines, working in a pair, learning the fault codes and the machines.

5. 5

   Lead, travel or specialize

   3 to 8 years

   Site lead, traveling repair crew, blade technician, commissioning technician, or offshore.