Wind Turbine Technology
All industries across every sector are experiencing a shortage of highly-skilled workers to fill critical technician roles, and the renewable resources sector is no exception. Experts blame advancing technology and a generation not interested in the skilled trades, but the bottom line is the same: the supply of highly-skilled workers simply can’t keep up with industry demand.
Why Are Wind Energy Technicians in High Demand?
Interest in alternative energy sources, like wind energy, is increasing year after year. As environmental interests gain momentum and non-renewable resources dwindle, green energy sources are becoming more and more popular.
It’s no longer unusual to see huge wind turbines dotting rural landscapes across the country. In fact, it’s becoming more commonplace to see hundreds of wind turbines installed in massive wind “farms” along stretches of open highway, generating power for local communities.
As local, state, and federal governments continue to fund and push for more alternative energy projects, demand for highly-skilled wind energy technicians will continue to rise. Amatrol’s Wind Turbine Technology program was designed to provide the tools educators need to train the next generation of wind workers.
That’s why Amatrol has developed a Wind Turbine Technology program with a comprehensive skills sequence that incorporates basic core skills, advanced core skills, and wind turbine technology skills.
Educators can use the Wind Turbine Technology Skills Sequence chart as a road map to build their own custom wind program. An expert consultant from Amatrol can assist every step of the way with recommendations regarding the proper curriculum and equipment to teach students the skills they will need in the workplace.
In addition to basic and advanced core skills across a variety of disciplines, wind energy technicians will require specialized hands-on skills in wind energy technologies like turbine electric hub, nacelle, and generator control troubleshooting.
What Skills are Needed for a Career in Wind Energy?
Wind energy technicians must possess a unique combination of basic to advanced skills in a variety of disciplines, as well as specific skills directly related to the latest alternative energy technologies. Moreover, they must put these skills into practice hundreds of feet in the air!
This presents a challenge for most educators. It’s not enough to teach students the basics of wind turbine electric hub, nacelle, and generator control troubleshooting. Wind energy technicians must also be knowledgeable and skilled in a variety of other areas, including electrical wiring, motor control, rotating machines, hydraulics, and mechanical drives.
Amatrol offers a robust mix of interactive eLearning curriculum and wind energy training systems that feature real industrial components workers will encounter on the job. These training resources were developed in conjunction with wind energy experts, an extensive wind turbine technician task analysis, and multiple wind farm site visits.
Amatrol’s wind training systems teach learners everything from the basics, like wind concepts, to advanced turbine electric hub, nacelle, and generator control troubleshooting. In fact, Amatrol’s unique computer-based fault insertion capabilities allow instructors to create challenging situations that teach realistic industry troubleshooting skills.
Available wind energy training resources include: