Job Description

This job is part of our sustainability series: > See more sustainable job ideas > Find out more about sustainable careers

A Wind Turbine Technician will work with a team of well-trained professionals to maintain facilities surrounding wind turbines and maintain the turbines themselves. Part of the job includes basic cleaning and maintenance on the premises surrounding the wind turbines. This requires attention to safety regulations for the industry and is important for overall safety on the job.

Entry Requirements

You can get into this job through:

College

You can do a college course, which can help you to get a trainee job with a wind turbine engineering company. Courses include:

Level 3 Certificate in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
Level 3 Diploma in Maintenance Engineering Technology

You'll usually need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science.

The following local colleges offer courses in mechanical or electrical engineering:

Or your local 6th form may offer a relevant course.

Apprenticeship

You can do an engineering technician, or maintenance and operations engineering technician, advanced apprenticeship.

You can also complete a higher apprenticeship in manufacturing engineering: wind generation.

You'll usually need:

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Click here to search for an apprenticeship.

University

You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

renewable energy engineering
electrical or mechanical engineering
electrical power engineering

You'll usually need:

1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

Click here to search for a suitable course.

Direct Application

You can apply directly for jobs if you've got qualifications and experience in electrical or mechanical engineering from another industry, or from the armed forces.

Career Tips

Demand for wind turbine technicians is predicted to grow over the next 10 years, with older wind farms being replaced or refurbished, as they come to the end of their working lives.

You'll need to:

pass background checks
have a full driving licence
Have safety training to work on wind turbines. This could include sea survival if you're working offshore. Employers will advise you on what's required.

You can discover more about a career as a wind turbine technician from RenewableUK.

Career Path and Progression

You could become an authorised technician, with responsibility for supervising a technical team, and dealing with health and safety.

With further training, you could work as an operations and maintenance manager, control systems engineer or energy engineer.

Related careers you may be interested in:

Engineering maintenance technician
Mechanical engineering technician
Electrical engineering technician
Energy engineer

Required Skills

Comfortable with heights
good at problem solving
good communication skills
work well in a team
follow directions easily
knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software

Salary Range

£25,000 to £47,000

Wind Turbine Technician