What is A wind turbine technician?
Aston Van Slyke, former program director of the Wind Energy Technology Program at the Ecotech Institute in Aurora, Colorado, started thinking about wind turbines in 2006 as a Marine.
“While stationed in Japan, I got lost and came across these wind turbines,” says Van Slyke. “They were massive, hundreds of feet tall, and I guess that’s what piqued my interest.”
When Van Slyke got out of the military, a career as a wind turbine technician appealed to him. Along with the technical side of working on turbines, from hydraulics to composites, the career offered good pay and benefits, as well as the opportunity to travel.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment growth of 68.2 percent for wind turbine technicians between 2020 and 2030. During that period, an estimated 4,700 jobs will be created.
How Much Does a Wind Turbine Technician Make?
How to become A wind turbine technician?
People hoping to become wind turbine technicians can complete a wind energy technology program through a community college or technical school. In a technical program, students take classes in mechanics, electricity, and safety, among others. They learn everything from how to use torque wrenches to how to troubleshoot problems and how to climb and rappel off the side of a wind turbine if they (or a member of their team) get hurt.
Job Satisfaction
The average American works well into their 60s, so workers may have an enjoyable and fulfilling career. A job with a low stress level, good work-life balance, and strong prospects for improvement, promotion, and higher pay make many employees happy. Here’s how Wind turbine technicians Job satisfaction is rated in terms of upward mobility, stress level and flexibility.