Developed by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), in partnership with the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Cross Skill Programme provides experienced technicians with the additional training needed to work on onshore and offshore wind assets.
The six-week course is available to qualified mechanical, electrical and instrumentation and control technicians.
Crucially, the programme is not intended to support only a one-way move from oil and gas into renewables. It has been designed to allow workers to move between the two sectors as maintenance requirements and employment opportunities change.
ECITB chief executive Andrew Hockey said the energy industry must retain the workforce needed to operate existing oil and gas assets while also responding to growing demand from the wind sector.
“This programme enables the two-way transition of qualified oil and gas technicians into wind and then back again as and when maintenance activity is needed,” he explained.
“It will enable our UK supply chain companies to diversify their energy portfolios and ensure the continuing development of a competent and competitive wind energy supply chain.”
He added that maintaining technical skills and established safety behaviours across both sectors would improve workforce mobility, safety and the resilience of the wider energy industry.
Building on existing skills
Rather than requiring experienced technicians to start again, the programme recognises their existing qualifications and skills.
Applicants must provide evidence of current technical competence in their primary discipline, which could include assessment through Connected Competence technical tests.
The course content has been aligned with GWO safety and technical training standards to minimise unnecessary duplication. It also supports the learning outcomes of the ITC First Level 3 Award in Safe Working Practice in the Wind Turbine Industry.
GWO chief executive Jakob Lau Holst said the aim was to ensure technicians gain the skills wind employers require while receiving appropriate recognition for their existing experience.
“The programme achieves alignment with industry standards through GWO’s safety and technical training certification, reducing duplication and training time for technicians,” he said.
Participants also gain practical experience at ORE Catapult’s Levenmouth demonstration turbine, where they can see the equipment and systems discussed during the classroom element of the programme.
Pilot participant Tiegan Morrison said the turbine visit helped bring the training to life before participants went offshore.
“We had the class-based theory on the components of the wind turbines, but getting to go and see it before we went offshore was great,” she said.
Giving technicians confidence
Feedback from the pilot courses suggests the programme could also address some of the uncertainty experienced technicians may feel when considering work in another energy sector.
Niall Gibb said the course gave him a deeper understanding of mechanical, control and instrumentation disciplines beyond his existing specialism.
“It allows time-served technicians to transition efficiently between oil and gas and the renewable industry while maintaining the safety culture that’s been adopted within the oil and gas industry,” he said.
“The cross-skill programme provides a pathway for workers to continue doing what they love, working offshore, while contributing to a greener and more sustainable energy future. For me, it’s a natural evolution.”
Fellow participant Declan Porter said the structured programme removed many of the unknowns associated with moving into wind.
“This programme could be the difference between technicians deciding to make the move from oil and gas,” he said. “It takes the guesswork and ‘what ifs’ out of the equation and gives you confidence that you will be qualified and ready to walk into your first wind project.”
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Scottish Government have committed joint funding through the Transition Training Fund for oil and gas workers looking to develop careers in wind.
The initiative has also been highlighted in the UK Government’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan as an example of how existing energy skills can support a just transition.
ECITB-approved training providers are expected to announce dates for the first full programme cohorts shortly. Details of the prerequisite qualifications and an expression of interest form are available through the ECITB website.
Image provided by ECITB