Beautifully shot video above is, I think, the best “Day in the Life” I’ve seen for wind technicians.
As a lot of young people are re-evaluating whether college or a trade is the right path, turns out wind turbine technician is one of the most needed fields. If you are a young person that enjoys being active and thrives on challenges, this might be right up your alley.
For the fastest-growing job in the US, working remotely is required. But those with a fear of heights need not apply.
Employment of wind-turbine service technicians will increase almost 45% over the next decade, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts—faster than in any other occupation, bolstered by the federal government’s renewable energy push. As makers and operators of wind farms expand training and hiring, experienced technicians can make about $80,000 a year without a college degree—though they must be willing to travel extensively, endure extreme weather and lug 50 pounds of gear up long ladders to confined spaces.
“That’s our office, 300 feet in the air,” says Omar Rubalcava, a 33-year-old service technician with Denmark’s Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the No. 1 turbine maker. “I was never scared of heights, but when you’re 300 feet up you get a reality check,” says Rubalcava, who helps lead a 36-person team that maintains 129 turbines in California. “There are times when it’s windy, and it’s like you’re rocking on a boat.”
Job postings for wind-turbine techs in the US have risen sixfold since 2018, according to data tracker Revelio Labs, and recent industry difficulties haven’t slowed the pace. The sector has been battered by soaring costs, higher interest rates and supply chain bottlenecks, prompting delays and cancellations of offshore projects that could have employed thousands. But there’s more than enough demand from onshore installations—which make up the bulk of the $16.4 billion US wind power market—for turbine companies to increase hiring at a double-digit clip. And industry experts say offshore wind will ramp up again, too.
On the south side of Chicago, students learn to work on Rivian electric pickup trucks and SUVs through a new technician program at Olive-Harvey College.
About 150 miles (240 kilometers) south, students at Danville Area Community College in Illinois are taught to troubleshoot massive wind turbines dozens of meters tall, along with climbing and safety.
In Albuquerque, students train on wiring and fixing solar panel installations through Central New Mexico Community College’s electrical trades courses.
And in Boston, students study how to toughen homes and buildings against extreme temperatures at Roxbury Community College’s Center for Smart Building Technology. The focus is on automating and modernizing heating and air conditioning systems so they contribute less to climate change.
All are examples of how students across the United States look to community colleges for up-to-date training for the increasing number of jobs in climate solutions — from electrification, to wind and solar, to energy efficiency, weatherization, protecting water and farmland and more.