Careers in Offshore Wind

Offshore wind is a major career opportunity right now, and you can be paid to get trained, learn new skills, and energize your future.

But what exactly is offshore wind?

Odds are, you have seen wind turbines while driving around New York State. Most likely, the wind turbines you’ve seen were land-based wind turbines though. Offshore wind means building wind turbines in open water near the coast. That’s because offshore wind turbines can be nearly twice the size of a typical land-based wind turbine, meaning they can generate lots of clean electricity. In fact, a single spin of an offshore wind turbine can power an average house for two days!

That makes offshore wind a fast-growing industry in New York. It also makes a career in offshore wind a really smart path for job seekers who want to set themselves up for a rewarding, stable, and successful future—and even if you don’t know much about wind energy now, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn!

Why Work in Offshore Wind?

• You don’t need a degree to work in wind energy.
• You can get free training (or even get paid for your training time!) to learn new skills. 
• Demand for offshore wind energy is expected to grow in the next few years because it gives us affordable electricity without all the pollution from burning fossil fuels. 
• Careers in offshore wind typically pay well, come with good benefits, and give you solid job security.
• You can provide a service that helps thousands (even millions!) of people use clean energy! 

Key Career Opportunities in Wind

1. Wind Turbine Technician

A wind turbine technician is a great position for New Yorkers who are interested in fixing machinery and working outside. Wind turbine technicians — sometimes called field service technicians or wind farm support specialists — typically perform technical tasks with their hands to keep wind turbines functioning properly. If you’ve had previous work experience doing mechanical repairs, this could be a great role to help you get your foot in the door of New York’s clean energy economy. Most wind energy companies do not require their turbine technicians to have a college degree.

2. Wind Electrical Engineer

A wind electrical engineer is responsible for understanding how to design and operate all of the various electrical components that are needed to make wind turbines work. Becoming an electrical engineer requires an interest in math and computers, which are important areas for this role. Once you become a certified electrical engineer, you can then focus your expertise on helping New Yorkers harness clean energy from the wind.

3. Wind Welder

Trained welders are highly sought after in New York’s growing wind industry. Welders use specialized tools to “weld” or join together the various metal components that are used to build wind turbines. If you enjoy working with your hands on intricate projects, welding could be a great opportunity to get your foot in the door of New York’s clean energy economy. Most wind energy companies do not require their welders to have a college degree.

An Inclusive Career

For the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy to work, we need to make sure that everyone gets a seat at the table. That includes clean energy career opportunities like offshore wind.

New York State works hard to meet the needs of all New Yorkers. Specialized services, programs, and specially trained staff are available to assist job seekers.

Check Out These Additional Programs and Resources for Job Seekers

• Roadtrip Nation – Meet Roadtrip Nation’s team of young New Yorkers who are out to explore clean energy career opportunities in our State. Along the way, the road trippers interview a variety of clean energy professionals throughout the State about how they landed their jobs and learn about the exciting work they do.
• Clean Energy Workforce Development & Training – NYSERDA offers a variety of programs and resources for New Yorkers who are interested in a clean energy career. Opportunities include paid internships, fellowship programs, and free online learning opportunities that can help jumpstart your future in the clean energy field. 
• NYS Department of Labor – New York State offers registered apprenticeships to help you start your clean energy career. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn with a combination of classroom training and hands-on work under the supervision of an expert.