Skilled human resources are the key to the offshore industry. The Carbon Trust recently estimated some 70,000 jobs will be required by 2020. But it is not just about the size of the workforce. There is a demonstrated and acute skills gap that must be filled to secure the future, not just of operational wind farms – but of the industry as a whole.
Training and skills development opportunities
Ranging from early sector attraction at school-age, through to advanced technician training for the engineering roles required within the sector supply chain.
Initiatives
Continue to grow through collaboration with relevant organisations including RenewableUK (formerly BWEA), European Wind Energy Association, National Skills Academy for Power and the National Apprenticeships Network, to produce graduate- technicians and apprentices in engineering and marine technologies who are equipped to construct and operate offshore wind farms.
One such training initiative was the design and installation of the UK’s first Offshore Wind Training Tower in North East England which was the result of a collaborative training partnership backed by Mainstream, RDA, One North East, Northumberland College and Narec. The training tower is an open access facility designed to allow education and training providers to deliver practical training programmes aimed at increasing the quantity and & quality of technicians available to employment in the wind industry. The initiative was hailed as an exemplar in public/private and academic collaboration.
