How to Become A Wind Turbine Technician
Posted on June 10, 2019
Interested in becoming a positive force in the energy industry? The rise in popularity of renewable energy has led to a huge spike in demand for wind turbine technicians in these various fields. As numerous states seek to obtain more of their energy generation from renewable resources, the need for wind turbine technicians has never been greater. Wind energy is being utilized to provide renewable and clean energy for thousands of people across the country. Although the fuel for the wind turbine is renewable, it is still a piece of mechanical equipment that must be regularly maintained by a wind turbine technician. So, what steps do students need to take in order to become an effective wind turbine technician?
- A General Interest in Energy Generation
- Attention to Detail
- Problem Solving Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Great Dexterity
- Trade School Attendance for Training
- A Willingness to Work in an Evolving Industry
A General Interest in Energy Generation
Those who are interested in renewable energy, in addition to becoming a wind turbine technician, have a much higher rate of job satisfaction. So, to be the best wind turbine technician, a general interest in energy generation is a huge bonus. The process is quite fascinating. First, electricity is generated at a centralized source. In the case of wind energy, this occurs at a wind farm. This energy is then transported, sometimes hundreds of miles, through transmission lines where it is then distributed to consumers. If a wind turbine technician has a general knowledge of and interest in this process, this career may be a perfect match.
Attention to Detail
There are dozens of moving parts involved in generating energy from a wind turbine. Wind turbine technicians must pay close attention to all of the parts equally to ensure no mechanical failures occur. Because of the size of most turbines, a relatively small component may take an entire workday to replace. This means completing a task properly the first time, is highly important. Additionally, one turbine can have a slightly different design than the next depending on the company that manufactured it. A wind turbine technician must be able to quickly tell the difference between the two designs and adjust their maintenance accordingly.
Problem Solving Skills
One of the most exciting and challenging things about becoming a wind turbine technician in the renewable energy field is that no two days are exactly the same. While similar things can go wrong from one wind turbine to the next, the issues are always slightly different and require careful considerations on how to fix them. That is why problem-solving skills are so important to this profession. Being able to think outside of the box is important, as a technician may need to perform an unusual task in order to fix a specific issue.
Critical Thinking
As someone who is in charge of keeping highly complex machines both running and generating electricity, a wind turbine technician should have great critical thinking skills. This will help them work through the troubleshooting process when something goes wrong. Based on the mechanical failure, wind turbine technicians should already begin to formulate an idea of what may be the most likely cause of a failure. This critical thinking ability may come more naturally to some, but it is certainly an ability that can be learned over time.
Great Dexterity
Wind turbines are massive structures. In fact, the bigger a wind turbine is, the more efficiently it can generate electricity for businesses and consumers. This has caused the average size of wind turbines to grow drastically over the past few decades. Because of this, a wind turbine technician is now expected to climb in and work on these large structures. Great dexterity is a requirement for this career. Those who have an athletic background and don’t mind putting in a hard days’ work may be perfect for this role.
Trade School Attendance for Training
One of the best things about becoming a wind turbine technician is that one does not necessarily have to attend a more traditional four-year college. Instead, those who wish to become wind turbine technicians can attend a trade school where they will focus specifically on the job skills that they will be performing upon graduation. This way, there is no time wasted taking classes that may or may not apply to this career out in the field. Not only does this allow students to focus more on their job skills, but it also helps them to complete a program much more quickly.
A Willingness to Work in an Evolving Industry
The renewable energy industry is constantly evolving and changing. This is because engineers are constantly finding new and more efficient ways to generate electricity for businesses and residential customers at even lower costs. This requires upgrades in materials, upgrades in specific components of a wind turbine, and upgrades to the software that helps to operate the turbines. Because of this, wind turbine technicians should be willing to continuously learn about the industry and adapt to the frequent changes. Many find this exciting element keeps the job from becoming stale and redundant. This may include new training, personal study, and a willingness to learn from those who may have more experience in the field.
Final Thoughts
The renewable energy industry is not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, more and more states are passing legislation that mandates a certain percentage of their state’s electricity come from renewable energy resources. Because of the efficiency of wind turbines and the ability to generate cost effective electricity, wind power will certainly continue to be a major piece of this puzzle. As the demand for wind energy technicians continues to rise, they can prepare to become a highly sought-after employee by obtaining the necessary skills to succeed.
Does becoming a wind turbine technician interest you? Want to have the power of an entire nation at your fingertips? The Wind Turbine Technician Program from MIAT College of Technology provides the hands-on training, practical experience and industry support it takes to pursue a rewarding technical career in just 7 months. Wind turbine technicians must inspect and service a turbine’s blades on a regular basis. This is done by entering the turbine through the base of the tower and climbing a ladder or riding an elevator up through the tower shaft. Depending on the task at hand, technicians may be suspended hundreds of feet in the air! When needed, it’s not uncommon for helicopters to raise wind turbine technicians up to the desired working height.
MIAT’s goal is to produce graduates who are in the top echelon of their initial on-the-job training due to the foundational knowledge they receive at MIAT. To learn more about Energy Technology career training and to explore if MIAT is right for you fill out the form on this page.
Contact us if you are interested in becoming an energy technician today.
For important information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of the students who attended this program visit the following disclosure.