FOLLOWING two successful pilots, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), in partnership with the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, have officially launched a programme designed to support worker transferability between oil and gas and wind operations and maintenance.
The six-week Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Cross Skill Programme gives existing instrument & controls, mechanical and electrical technicians the training to enable them to work on onshore or offshore wind assets as wind turbine maintenance technicians (WTMT).
ECITB-approved training providers will shortly be announcing dates to run cohorts in the coming months. An expression of interest form along with a flyer outlining the prerequisite qualifications and competence are now live on the ECITB website.
Andrew Hockey, CEO of the ECITB, said, “We must ensure industry has the skilled workforce it needs to deploy to existing oil and gas fields while meeting the growing demand for workers to onshore and offshore wind farms. 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.”
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Scottish Government have committed to joint fund the programme through the Transition Training Fund for workers looking to transition their careers from oil and gas into wind.
The Office for Clean Energy Jobs (OCEJ), a dedicated unit within DESNZ, cited the programme as an example of how to pave the way for a just transition within its Clean Energy Jobs Plan.
The Scottish Government identified the programme as part of the ‘industry and public sector partners commitments’ to delivering priority actions within the Offshore Wind Priorities and Skills Action Plan. Energy minister Stephen Gethins announced almost £1.7 million investment in offshore wind skills last month, which includes funding towards the programme.
To be eligible for the programme, workers must provide proof of ongoing and current technical competence within their primary trade discipline, such as through Connected Competence technical tests.
The course content has been mapped to GWO’s elements to reduce duplication and give workers the skills and knowledge that wind industry employers need.
The programme includes site access to ORE Catapult’s Levenmouth demonstration turbine to contextualise the technical programme content inside the nacelle of a wind turbine.
Potential candidates can view the prerequisite qualifications and competence for the programme and register interest for the programme on the ECITB website.
