With Ireland experiencing a skills shortage in the wind energy sector, Skillnet Ireland is hoping to train 30 wind turbine technicians this year.
Through its business support agency Skillnet Ireland, the Government has launched a programme to help combat the skills shortage in the country’s growing wind sector.
Skillnet Ireland’s green-tech division is running the new wind turbine technicians course. It is aimed at people with electrical, mechanical or engineering backgrounds.
The course is delivered in two stages. The first will involve in-person technical training, while the second will see participants complete an industry placement.
The course is being introduced to ensure that Ireland’s energy sector has a pipeline of people who are equipped with the skills the country needs to leverage renewable energy.
“We have set ambitious climate targets for 2030 and ensuring we have the right talent is vital in making those commitments a reality,” said Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris, TD.
Ireland has committed to reducing its emissions by 51pc by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan. However, a recent report by the SEAI found that the country’s energy-related emissions had reverted back to pre-pandemic levels.
The new wind turbine technician programme will be funded through the National Training Fund. It will ensure that Ireland has “qualified people ready to take up roles to tackle the climate crisis,” added Harris.
Wind is a growing renewable energy source in Ireland and the country has the potential to tap into this resource even further.
But Justin Moran, director of external affairs at Wind Energy Ireland, said that with a “massive ramp-up in investment in onshore and offshore wind in the coming years”, there is a skills shortage in the number of wind technicians.
“This programme designed in partnership with enterprise will train 30 wind turbine technicians in 2022, providing essential skills needed help meet Ireland’s Climate Action Plan targets,” he added.
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