The Daily Populous Friday February 12nd, 2021 night edition
Authored by theguardian.com and submitted by jobhelperapp

People always ask what it’s like being at the top of a 100-metre-high wind turbine. It does make your legs go a bit funny when you look over the top. But before I started as a wind turbine technician apprentice with SSE Renewables last year, I was more worried about being sick on the two-hour boat journey you have to take to reach the Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm, 12 miles off the coast of Suffolk.

I grew up locally and did well in my science GCSEs before opting to take a level 3 BTec diploma course in maintenance engineering at East Coast College in Lowestoft. I already had some practical skills and was interested in learning more about electrical systems. Towards the end of the course, I started looking into apprenticeships. I wanted to earn money while I continued studying, rather than building up debt. A lot of my dad’s friends worked in the offshore oil industry, and I liked the sound of working outside, being busy and keeping on my feet. I’m not sure how I’d cope being stuck in an office all day. Everyone I spoke to said the same thing: oil is dead, renewables are the future.

The application process with SSE Renewables was intense. There were online tests and a practical exercise where we had to show we could work at height. Once we’d been shortlisted to six, there was the final interview round and two of us were taken on. It’s a four-year course, at the end of which we apply to join SSE permanently. I’ve heard that often this is a formality – the four apprentices in the last round are all still with the company.

I’ve just started my second year and I’m really enjoying the experience so far. I’m learning skills I wouldn’t be able to learn anywhere else and I’m working with a team of people that are really committed to helping me progress. I’m starting to work on bigger jobs and be trusted to handle maintenance tasks on my own. We regularly check the whole of the turbine, clean it, change filters, maybe change the main circuit breaker – whatever’s required. Long term, I’d like to specialise in the high voltage side so that I could isolate a particular turbine from the others if necessary. There are only three people authorised to do that on the Greater Gabbard site, so it’s an important job.

I’m happy I decided to work in the renewable energy sector in general and wind in particular. It’s certainly increased my awareness about the fact that we all have a role to play in making the future a sustainable one.

MyDogIsACoolCat on February 11st, 2021 at 14:02 UTC »

Oil isn’t dead, but yes, renewables are the future

beauz44 on February 11st, 2021 at 13:33 UTC »

Oil isn’t dead. Even wind turbines use oil. But renewable energy is on the rise.

Hoosier_Jedi on February 11st, 2021 at 11:02 UTC »

This man is wise.

That said, petroleum still has a multitude of uses besides gasoline. So I’m skeptical that the derricks will be getting rusty anytime soon.