Philippe Baron planned on being a steam turbine operator after college,
but things changed. "I was searching job postings for positions that would
interest me when I came across a wind turbine technician post," he says. It
made him curious.
"I looked up the responsibilities and daily tasks wind turbine technicians
deal with. From then on I was on board for a wind technician job."
Baron now works at the Greenwich Lake Wind Farm in Dorion, Ontario. He
is employed by a company that manufactures turbines.
Trevor Clifton was a carpenter before he decided to switch careers and
enter the growing wind industry.
"The only part of the job that compares is the fact that both are physically
demanding. Other than that it was a new experience for me," Clifton says.
"I really didn't know what this job was going to be like, other than being
a little nervous about the heights I was going to encounter."
Clifton is a Wind Tech Leader at NextEra Energy's Peetz Table Wind Farm
in northern Colorado.
Wind turbine technicians can work for the companies that own the turbines,
the companies that sell and service turbines, or for third-party companies
brought in to service and maintain wind farms.
"Starting as a wind turbine technician can be a little physically demanding
if you're not normally active," Baron says. "This will diminish once you start
climbing towers and become comfortable wearing personal fall protective equipment."
Plantier, who's headed up the wind technology program at Texas State Technical
College since 2008 says most people get accustomed to the climb, and the heights.
"My opinion of the climbs," Plantier says, "is being in great condition
certainly doesn't hurt, but it's really more about the conditioning of a different
set of muscles you're not use to using every day. If you work out, jog or
run, you're used to dealing with a horizontal surface. When you're dealing
with a vertical surface -- up and down all the time -- it's a different set
of muscles. Once you get acclimated it's not a big deal, just part of your
commute."
As for the heights, Plantier says most people can overcome a simple fear
of heights, but if they have a phobia about heights they shouldn't be in the
industry.
"As long as they don't have a phobia, they should be fine," he says. "I
think everyone experiences a bit of fear the first time they get up there;
it can be a little hair-raising and nerve-wracking. But the second, third
time it becomes easier and you get to the point where it's just your job and
you don't worry about the heights."
Clifton says the climbing is most physically demanding part of the job,
but says some general maintenance tasks, like replacing a gearbox are also
physically demanding.
"The mental strain comes from the variations of problems you encounter
while troubleshooting a turbine," Clifton adds. "You can be fixing one problem
and come to find out there are several more that you never knew were there."
Baron agrees. "Troubleshooting a turbine is not always a walk in the park.
They can be complex."
Turbine technicians can specialize in different areas -- major
components, quality assessments, networking, or any system within a turbine.
"I handle all parts of the turbines and still have certain specialized tasks
that a team of us would do, such as rebuilding a gearbox up tower," Clifton
says.
Baron hasn't specialized in one area because he enjoys performing a variety
of tasks.
"A typical day for me," Baron says, "would either be completing service
on a tower, following a service checklist, or going out to troubleshoot a
faulted turbine. Personally, I enjoy troubleshooting turbines as it gives
me a mental challenge."
Clifton's day often also contains a mix of activities. "A typical day for
me would be climbing two turbines, fixing any problems present, and then coming
back to the shop to look for more faulted turbines or complete all computer
work for that day."
Safety is a big part of working on a wind turbine. "Our goal is less to
train them about safety and more to get them to develop a safety philosophy
or culture when they walk out of the classroom.
"Safety is a must in our every day jobs," Clifton says. "We have tailboard
[safety] meetings and JSA [Job Safety Analysis] meetings before and during
every job. We have a mentorship program for all new employees to ensure they
are safe from the hazards they don't know about."
Baron says they follow safety protocols, including the use of safety equipment.
"Utilizing proper personal protective equipment, training, and the lockout/tagout
of potentially stored energy is required. Safety and the well-being of the
technician is number one when working on a wind turbine."
Wind turbine technicians can expect to put in at least 40 hours per week,
plus overtime as needed. "Typically I put in 45 to 50 hours a week, depending
on if I'm on call that week. Then it can range to 70 hours that week," Clifton
says.
The workload can vary by season, too. "In the summer we plan annual service
as the temperatures are warmer and it's a better time to complete the service,"
Baron says. "Winter time is usually reserved for jobs that do not require
a technician to be at a tower for an extended period of time."
Plantier says after five years on the job - which takes some wear and tear
out of a person - a lot of wind turbine technicians are ready to move up in
the industry. Their next step might depend on their age and education.
"This industry includes kids coming in for training straight out of high
school all the way up to career changers," Plantier says.
He says there are several avenues a technician can choose: Supervisors,
front-line management, engineers and managers. "It's like a pyramid," Plantier
says.
"Technicians are never going to go away. There's always going to be a
demand for them."
He says there are probably more job opportunities than candidates right
now. Some jobs require national or even international travel, which can make
for a more dynamic environment.
"I have a lot of graduates out there who travel," Plantier says. "Some
have gone to Hawaii. I have a few in Puerto Rico right now. Canada. Some have
even gone as far away as South America on some projects."
Instead of importing technicians, some wind farms in remote locations may
want to hire local workers or people willing to relocate their families to
prevent the kind of isolation that might lead to higher turnover.
Baron, who occasionally travels for his job, loves arriving at a wind farm,
seeing the turbines spinning and knowing he's played a part in the operation.
Clifton agrees, "There's satisfaction of watching a turbine go online and
produce power, knowing I was able to fix the turbine."
"I also enjoy the excitement that working on wind turbines gives me. Every
day the job can differ, depending on what's going on at the site," Baron says.
"I never find myself going to the same office doing the same tasks every day."