The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), in partnership with the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, has launched the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Cross Skill Programme. The initiative supports the transfer of skills between the oil and gas and wind energy sectors.
Following two pilot programmes, the six-week course provides Instrument and Controls, Mechanical and Electrical Technicians with additional technical training to enable them to work on onshore and offshore wind assets as Wind Turbine Maintenance Technicians (WTMT).
Eligible participants must demonstrate current technical competence in their primary trade discipline, for example through Connected Competence technical assessments. The programme also includes practical training at ORE Catapult’s Levenmouth demonstration turbine, allowing participants to apply course content within a wind turbine nacelle.
The training has been aligned with GWO requirements to reduce duplication and provide technicians with the additional skills required by wind industry employers. It also matches the learning outcomes of the ITC First Level 3 Award in Safe Working Practice in the Wind Turbine Industry.
The programme is jointly funded by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Scottish Government through the Transition Training Fund, supporting workers moving from oil and gas into the wind sector.
