Filling The Ranks: 5 Offshore Wind Training Initiatives Around The World

Skill shortages exist as one of the most pressing challenges faced by the offshore wind industry. In 2011, developers were already grappling with how to build the workforce. “In the next 10 -15 years we have 200bn Euros of investment coming through and we will not be able to realise that unless skills shortages are addressed,” says Norbert Giese, vice president of offshore development at REpower.

Giese’s words have largely been a portent of things to come. Today, lack of skilled manpower remains one of the biggest obstacles in the way of offshore wind. Demand continues to outpace supply. By 2026, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) estimates that we will need half a million technicians to support the wind sector.

For many nations, obtaining skilled technical personnel is vital if climate and energy targets are to be met. In the UK, offshore wind employment has to grow by 170 percent by 2026 should the country hope to build 50GW by 2030. Germany needs to nearly double its 26,000-strong talent pool to achieve goals by 2040.

The growing pressure can only serve as an impetus to establish a training system that can fulfil the quota. Across the sector, institutions are designing and assembling initiatives that will enable offshore wind to train and transition people faster.

Opening Doors To Non-Engineers

Certain roles, like those in structural design and geotechnics, will require an engineering degree or a specialisation in renewable energy. Many more positions up and down the chain do not–but otherwise certified candidates may be put off applying by thinking they lack the qualifications to try.

Programmes like the Society for Underwater Technology’s (SUT) Offshore Wind Renewable Energy course for non-engineers lower the barrier for entry. Held over two days, through 4-hour sessions, it was a veritable crash course that covered the basics end-to-end, from the role of offshore wind in achieving net zero down to the construction and operation of sites. SUT has offered the course twice, first in October 2022, and then again in early February.

The University of Bergen (UiB) offers a similar experience with its Introduction To Offshore Wind Energy. Completely free and open to all, the seven-module course serves as a jumping point into offshore wind, with UiB planning to dive into more specialised offerings later on.

Nurturing Talent Through Apprenticeships

There’s always a demand for engineers, welders, scientists, and technicians in other fields. In the UK, where apprenticeships in manufacturing and engineering are dropping even as qualified workers retire, the competition for talent is bound to get fiercer.

To stay competitive, the industry needs to focus not only on getting workers through the door, but also providing a clear career pathway through mentorship opportunities. In a study that followed professionals and their career in offshore wind, only one person who held an internship position stayed the longest in a company.

Offshore wind companies like Vestas and Ørsted have their own apprenticeship programmes. RWE encourages long-term employment by hiring apprentices from regions where their hubs are located, giving trainees another reason to continue with the company.

Enabling Easier Movement From Oil & Gas

More than 50 percent of oil and gas (O&G) workers want to shift to renewables. Yet exorbitant training costs dissuade many from making the switch. At times, workers find themselves paying for redundant certifications–the result of no shared framework of skills between energy sectors.

The fossil fuel industry employs millions of people worldwide; utilising these numbers is crucial if adjacent skill shortages are to be tackled within offshore wind. . A number of industry organisations have launched initiatives to facilitate movement. The Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO) received £5 million from the Scottish government to fast-track the development of an Energy Skills Passport. The passport aims to give workers greater mobility by recognising transferable skills and eliminating duplicate certifications.

Finding The Funding

Currently, the private sector shoulders most of the burden of training. In Scotland, companies foot 90 percent of the cost. This limits the industry’s ability to expand programmes to the scale that’s needed to support a £889 million market. “Industry has a responsibility to lead on demand, but in the last year we have seen examples where that demand has not been met due to lack of funding,” writes Paul Sherin, chief executive of Scottish Engineering.

The US, with its new hunger for offshore wind, is pushing harder to funnel funding into skills development. Last year, Massachusetts awarded several colleges $748,000 to develop their internship programmes. Under the US Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, offshore wind projects who meet apprenticeship requirements are given tax credits.

Industry experts in Europe are urging its governments to take their cue. “Together with politicians, we must immediately create a realistic basis for the implementation of the expansion targets for offshore wind energy for electricity and green hydrogen,” said Germany’s industry organisations. “Europe must find a strong, joint response to the measures of the US Inflation Reduction Act in particular”.

Leveraging Virtual & Simulated Technology

The logistics of getting hands-on training becomes complicated when the training area is situated miles away from shore. Unlike other technical disciplines that can be learned and drilled in a lab, trainees cannot can’t easily hop into a crane and practise hoisting and assembling turbines.

That is, before virtual reality became a feasible option. In 2022, twelve offshore workers completed GWO certification courses that swapped out hands-on elements with VR simulations–the first batch in the world to do so. The programme, which was a joint partnership between VinciVR and Siemens Gamesa, has the potential to significantly reduce training costs and time, while increasing hands-on training time by up to 500 hours.

In the UK and Japan, vessel operators are learning how to navigate ships for cable-laying and offshore wind jobs through Dynamic Positioning Simulators. Using the software, trainees can learn how to manoeuvre vessels for work related to all stages of a wind farm’s life cycle.

The full capacity of the offshore wind industry is locked behind a talent bottleneck.  Unlocking this potential  will require incentivising training programmes;, lowering the barrier to entry for professionals from different sectors;, and innovative technology that allows training to be deployed rapidly and at scale.