Wind turbine technician
Install, maintain and repair wind turbines to help provide renewable electricity.
About the job
What it's like
A wind turbine technician is an adventurous career choice. You could be working while suspended hundreds of feet in the air – or out at sea.
Wind turbines are a form of green energy used across the world to produce electricity in an environmentally friendly way. Whitelee Windfarm – just outside Glasgow – provides power to 330,000 homes. It’s also the biggest wind farm in Europe.
A wind turbine technician installs, inspects, maintains, operates and repairs wind turbines. They’re able to fix any problem that could cause the turbine to shut down unexpectedly or not operate efficiently.
Becoming a wind turbine technician can involve exciting and varied days at work. You’ll be doing your bit to positively impact the planet and keep Scotland well powered.
What you might do:
install wind turbine towers on land or at sea
fit electrical, mechanical and hydraulic equipment
test turbine blades and control systems
carry out planned maintenance work
find faults and fix them
record job details and fill in safety reports
run safety checks on electrical substations and cables
Green job
In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.
Hours
Environment
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- analysing
- reliable
- attention to detail
- observation
- problem solving
- working with technology
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Design and Manufacture
Engineering Science
Maths (Mathematics)
Physics
Skills for Work: Engineering Skills
Foundation Apprenticeship: Engineering
Foundation Apprenticeship: Automotive
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Most beginners in this role have earned an engineering qualification together with relevant wind farm experience. Experience in other industries such as oil and gas, marine or utilities is also relevant.
The best way in is to gain a qualification in an electrical, electronic or mechanical engineering subject. Relevant courses include:
NC
NQ
HNC
HND
City and Guilds Wind Turbine Technician qualification.
Entry requirements range from 3 subjects at National 4 or 5 for NC and NQ courses to 1 to 2 Highers for HNC and HND courses. You should have English, Maths and at least one science or technological subject.
You can take a City and Guilds course in wind turbine technology and maintenance at Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, and Fife colleges. From there, you could move on to an MA or further study at HNC or HND level. Go to the college websites for more details and entry requirements.
You may need a driving licence for travelling around sites.
To work offshore, you may need to pass a medical and an offshore survival course. An example is the Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training Certificate (BOSIET). You may also need a Global Wind Organisation (GWO) certificate.
You could start as a trainee with a range of employers.
Having transferrable skills from another industry can also be useful. These can be skills from engineering or construction. There are also distance learning courses that do not need any previous skills or experience. This includes The Renewables Energy Institute course. They also offer other courses for people with relevant qualifications to allow them to work in renewable energy.
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