Speaking in Glasgow at RenewableUK 2010, the wind and marine energy trade body's 32nd Annual Conference & Exhibition, the First Minister awarded the collaborative efforts of the six partners involved in delivering the Wind Turbine Technician Modern Apprenticeship. Siemens, REpower and Weir Group were each recognised for pioneering the recruitment of apprentices for the training route. The qualification holds the quality hallmark of City & Guilds and meets the standards of the National Skills Academy for Power.
The fifteen candidates, who have become the first young people to start the full-time scheme at Fife's Carnegie College also attended the launch and met with the First Minister. The three-year engineering qualification is split evenly between on-the-job training with the employers and college-based learning.
"The Wind Turbine Technician Modern Apprenticeship is an exciting first for Scotland and the UK - and I'm pleased we're supporting it through Skills Development Scotland. The Scottish Government delivered more than 20,000 Modern Apprenticeships last year and we expect another 20,000 new starts this year,” said Salmond.
“This new scheme highlights the flexibility and responsiveness of our Modern Apprenticeship programme, by engaging a key emerging sector where we already have comparative advantages. Construction and related sectors are now incorporating training for low carbon technologies and we recently launched a low carbon fund designed to re-skill and up-skill employees. I congratulate those embarking on this pioneering apprenticeship scheme at Carnegie College and thank the employers and partners who helped deliver it. These apprentices will play a key role in forging a new green economy in Scotland," he added.
Closing the skills gap
As David Arnold, Business Development Director, Renewables for Weir Power and Industrial, highlights, the rapid growth in the UK's wind sector is already putting pressures on the job market, and increasing training provision is essential if the industry’s growth is remain unaffected. "Consistently a shortfall in the availability of trained and competent wind turbine technicians is highlighted as an industry concern. This programme developed by the industry to help alleviate this issue lends credibility to the maturity of the wind industry. Weir Power and Industrial look forward to working with partners Siemens, REpower and Carnegie College to ensure the aims of the course are delivered and a new generation of technicians are introduced professionally to this industry that is very important for both Scotland and the rest of the UK," Arnold said.
One of the first to benefit from this training provision is 18 year-old new apprentice, Lewis Hamilton, from Dunfermline, Fife (Scotland): "It was great to be selected for this new course. I always wanted to get into engineering and now I have one of the best opportunities for training from Siemens and Carnegie College. I am looking forward to getting out on site and putting some of the theory we are learning into action."
Many more to follow
DONG Energy has also announced that it will commit to employing up to eight apprentices under the Wind Energy Service Technician Apprenticeship scheme in 2011. The apprentices will receive training at the company’s three existing offshore wind sites in the UK as well as at their projects that are under construction including the London Array, which will be the UK's largest offshore wind farm.
“The wind energy industry needs bright up and coming young people to continue its rapid growth in the UK. Operating and maintaining large scale turbines offshore is no easy task so we must have the right people with the right skills,” said Peter Gedbjerg, vice president, country manager for DONG Energy Power UK. “Last week the Government announced that they will be investing in developing the UK’s ports so that they’re able to cope with the manufacturing element of offshore wind turbines. We need the skilled people to go hand in hand with this new industry.”
DONG Energy will sponsor at least four apprentices from September 2011 with a minimum investment of £100,000 (€114,150). Each apprentice will spend three years with DONG Energy. The first two years will consist of schooled training in workshop environments and the apprentices will spend the third year based at DONG Energy offices and wind farms learning on the job skills.
“We’re benefiting from building wind farms in the UK and from the high quality skills pool available so it’s fair that we put something back. Contributing to the skills pool by providing training and a potential career for young people is part of our strategy,” Peter Gedbjerg continued.
DONG Energy is one of the leading offshore wind operators in the UK and has the biggest stake of fifty percent in what will be the UK’s largest offshore wind farm, the London Array. The UK is one of DONG Energy’s primary markets for developing offshore wind and since 2005 it has invested £3.7 billion (€4.2 billion) in the region.
For additional information:
National Skills Academy - Power
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