North East Scotland College’s first bespoke Wind Technician training programme, designed for Vestas apprentices, is already seeing students perform to industry standards.
This two year, five day a week course is designed to ensure apprentices have the engineering skills and competence to work safely on both onshore and offshore wind farms.
NESCol Principal Neil Cowie said: ”The rapidly growing offshore wind energy industry is significant to the economic prosperity of the region and NESCol is playing a leading role in ensuring the workforce is equipped for what are exciting opportunities now and in the future.
“The College has sustainability at the heart of its operations and the curriculum, with a green energy and supporting transition a focus for us as we work with our industry partners to deliver qualifications that are tailored to the needs of employers. The collaboration with Vestas is an excellent example of that approach in action and we look forward to continuing to work together.”
The course is a combination of the practical Performing Engineering Operations - Electrical qualification and the HND in Electrical Engineering, providing students with the first two parts of the apprenticeship qualification. This is then followed by a workplace based qualification assessed on site by College staff.
The first cohort of second year students have excelled in a project designed to develop the hands-on workshop skills the students require for their future roles.
Ross Borland, NESCol Electrical Lecturer said: “The apprentice technicians were tasked with the design, manufacture, wire and test of new teaching training kits replacing old training boards. They have fabricated, installed, wired and tested new direct on line starter boards and new Programmable Logic Controllers.
“They have done a really good job developing industry standard training kits and NESCol lecturers are now using these pieces of equipment as training aids across the engineering curriculum.”
Andrew Wilson, Service Manager Vestas, said: “Vestas has a desire to ensure there is a sustainable pathway for local talent to come through an engineering apprenticeship at HND level, whilst also gaining the skills and experience required to fulfil the role of Service Technician in the wind industry. Our collaboration with NESCol gives the students the ideal framework to learn within an excellent learning environment whilst they develop as employees of Vestas towards future roles in the industry. “
Information on the next intake of Wind Technician apprentices will be advertised in the future at Job Openings (vestas.com)