Climbing high: RES’ Turbine Apprentices begin first day on the job

Six members of the future renewables workforce have taken their next steps in becoming fully qualified turbine technicians. In pairs the apprentices have relocated to three communities, where they have started work on wind farms that are O&M managed by RES. The apprentices are spread across the length and breadth of the UK, with placements at projects in Argyll, the Humber and Cornwall. After six months, the pairs will rotate to a new location allowing them to experience different projects with their varying opportunities and challenges.

Sam Sullivan, RES’ Wind Turbine Technician Apprentice said: “Being able to gain practical experience as well as understanding the daily tasks of a wind turbine technician on site has been brilliant.

“I’m enjoying my time in Scotland and I’m very grateful to everyone at RES and in the local community for making us feel welcomed at our new site. It’s a great opportunity and I look forward to the future with RES.”

Prior to setting off for site the apprentices recently dipped their toes in the water at a state-of-the-art training facility where they completed GWO-accredited courses in sea survival, working at height, manual handling, advanced hub rescue, first aid and fire awareness.

Image: RES

In addition to the six apprentices currently on placement in England and Scotland, RES’ turbine technician workforce in Ireland is also expanding. In partnership with South West College, RES has recently onboarded two additional apprentices who will be based in RES’ O&M turbine workshop in Letterkenny.

Facilitating an expansive apprentice relocation is a first for RES, a company commitment to investing in a skilled and experienced workforce. By training the apprentices on sites managed by RES, the apprentices will receive passionate mentorship and have access to invaluable teaching, delivered in-house by some of the industry’s most qualified and experienced turbine specialists. Furthermore, RES’ O&M business can continue to expand by enabling the supply of O&M personnel with comprehensive skill and knowledge.

Simon Deacon, Director of Operations and Maintenance at RES commented: “RES are not only investors in renewable energy but also in the education and career prospects of the next generation of renewable energy leaders. Our apprentices are a credit to RES and have shown unbounded enthusiasm in their first year with us. Their time on site will be a big learning curve but I have every confidence that all of them will emerge as highly skilled and experienced technicians for RES.