Wind turbine technicians, also known as wind techs, are the professionals in charge of inspecting and maintaining wind turbines. That means that most of their days are spent way up high in a turbine performing maintenance or troubleshooting the turbine’s electrical, mechanical or hydraulic components and replacing or fixing malfunctioning components.

Auston Van Slyke, former program director of the Wind Energy Technology program at Ecotech Institute in Aurora, Colorado, began thinking about wind turbines in 2006 as a Marine.

"I got lost on deployment in Japan and stumbled across these wind turbines," Van Slyke says. "They were massive, hundreds of feet tall, and I guess that’s what sparked my interest."

When Van Slyke transitioned out of the military, a career as a wind turbine technician appealed to him. Along with the technical aspect of working on turbines, from the hydraulics to the composites, the profession also offered good pay and benefits, as well as the ability to travel.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 44.9% employment growth for wind turbine technicians between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 5,000 jobs should open up.

Most of the training used to happen on the job, Van Slyke says. "Companies are still doing on-the-job training, but graduates of [accredited degree] programs gain skills in addition to technical skills that help them get promotions much faster."

People hoping to become wind turbine technicians can complete a wind energy technology program through a community college or technical school. In a technical program, students take mechanical, electrical and safety classes, among others. They learn everything from how to use torque wrenches to how to troubleshoot problems, as well as how to climb and rappel off the side of a wind turbine if they (or someone on their team) suffers an injury.