subject: Wind Turbine Technician: 3 Things One Needs To Understand [print this page] If you want a career with a lot of potential these days, consider that of wind turbine technician. Wind energy is a rapidly growing field and there is almost nothing but upside potential for growth as the economy becomes more green-oriented.
As we grow into our acknowledgment that renewable energy resources are here to stay, we are becoming more oriented as a society to jobs that supply services to those industries that support renewable and green power. This is only an advantage for most people that are interested in this type of career as it presents a lot of opportunities that were not even a possibility 10 to 15 years ago.
These are the factors though that you need to understand about the job before you move forward...
You are working at high altitudes - Many of the wind turbines you'll work on will be over 100 feet in the air. There's no getting around that because that's where the strongest wind is and that is where the majority of wind turbines will be located so that they can take advantage of that stronger wind. As a wind turbine technician you will find that you are working on these units high up in the air and also you will be working on them while they are hot, or making electricity. Meaning-you will be doing your work while they are turning, so there is no small level of risk associated with this job.
You need a basic technical background - While there are no formal brick-and-mortar institutions that will allow you to get trained in the art and science of wind turbine technology, there are a number of online places that you can learn and some technical schools in areas where wind is a big factor in the economy. You can go to the schools and get a certificate or degree but the majority of what you learn will likely be in the field working on a specific turbine. That is because these devices can be very different depending on who the manufacturer is.
You will be traveling a lot with this job of maintaining home wind turbines and commercial wind turbines - A great way to pursue the wind turbine technician career is to work with a outside contractor supplying services to your utilities that have wind farms. These devices tend to be in remote locations and therefore a lot of travel will likely be involved in the job.
In summary, the job of wind turbine technician can be very rewarding but you need to be aware of the details of the job or it could turn out to be a disaster for you.
