Wind turbine technician

Author
Discussion

jackthelad1984

838 posts

180 months

Wednesday 11th May 2011
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I to have sent my cv to siemens, though living in plymouth am i a bit to out of the way to be considered? Im happy to work offshore (ex navy), what sort of shift patterns do they work? The descriptions on the siemens job website was fairly vague, cheers

craig

escargot

17,110 posts

216 months

Thursday 12th May 2011
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
Of course matey.

windy mill

4 posts

154 months

Tuesday 17th May 2011
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ESCARGOT, i have 8months commissioning and faulting experience on 2mw turbines. i am also an ex submariner with hnc in electrical engineering. i am interested in the offshore sector but cant find enough info to sway me towards this. can you please send me some info regarding shift patterns, wages, allowances and so on, many thanks iain

scorchio

234 posts

168 months

Tuesday 17th May 2011
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Hi windymill the offshore market the now cant seem to get enough of good sparkies, one of our guys just left to go to transocean on rotation two on two off trainee starting wage of 48,000 a year then there is bonuses to go on top of that too

GSP

1,965 posts

203 months

Tuesday 17th May 2011
quotequote all
scorchio said:
Hi windymill the offshore market the now cant seem to get enough of good sparkies, one of our guys just left to go to transocean on rotation two on two off trainee starting wage of 48,000 a year then there is bonuses to go on top of that too
Are you talking oil and gas, or wind industry though?

If your talking wind then I wouldn't be surprised if he was telling extended truths or had been misinformed when he told you that wink very experienced UK techs would be doing well to earn that AFTER allowances and bonuses... Let alone a trainee with no WTG installation and/or commissioning experience. Wind salaries are getting there but they arn't into oil and gas territory yet.

escargot

17,110 posts

216 months

Tuesday 17th May 2011
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GSP said:
scorchio said:
Hi windymill the offshore market the now cant seem to get enough of good sparkies, one of our guys just left to go to transocean on rotation two on two off trainee starting wage of 48,000 a year then there is bonuses to go on top of that too
Are you talking oil and gas, or wind industry though?

If your talking wind then I wouldn't be surprised if he was telling extended truths or had been misinformed when he told you that wink very experienced UK techs would be doing well to earn that AFTER allowances and bonuses... Let alone a trainee with no WTG installation and/or commissioning experience. Wind salaries are getting there but they arn't into oil and gas territory yet.
This man speaketh the truth.

Bosshogg76

792 posts

182 months

Tuesday 17th May 2011
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GSP said:
Are you talking oil and gas, or wind industry though?

If your talking wind then I wouldn't be surprised if he was telling extended truths or had been misinformed when he told you that wink very experienced UK techs would be doing well to earn that AFTER allowances and bonuses... Let alone a trainee with no WTG installation and/or commissioning experience. Wind salaries are getting there but they arn't into oil and gas territory yet.
I would go oil and gas, those figures look familiar for trainees in the North Sea. Thankfully I'm in Oz smile.

Scorchio, how long ago did your mate leave to join Transocean?

escargot

17,110 posts

216 months

Wednesday 18th May 2011
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Guys, if any of you are interested I've just had an urgent one dumped on me.

The requirements are:

- Siemens level 2&3 (a must have)
- all normal Siemens ticket requirements (BOSIET, CCNSG et al)

It's a temp contract based out of Grimsby for a good few months. 2 on, 2 off. Kicking off next friday!

Drop me a line if interested.

McColl

1 posts

154 months

Wednesday 18th May 2011
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Hi everyone, this is my first time I have ever took part in this type of forum but I too have been interested in a change of career. My background is mechanical, I used to be a vehicle technician, not exactly relevant I know but I have just finished a HNC Mechanical Engineering. If anyone can offer any advise regarding what my next step could be I would be very grateful. CHEERS

beaks

1 posts

154 months

Monday 23rd May 2011
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I have spent alot of money doing training to try to get a job offshore preferably on wind turbines, been applying everywhere. Can never even get to speak to anyone in Siemens :-( And am getting really frustrated. I do not have any mechanical /electrical qualifications as most of my work history has been on the Railways. I would love to become a Wind Turbine Technician, and am currently doing my Rope Access Course to see if this will help me. If anyone can advise on the best way to gain employment in this industry it would be highly appreciated. I have got my BOSIET, MIST, Working at Height, First Aid, Banksman / Slingers, OGUK Medical and really don't know what else I can do.
I was even considering doing a mechanical course of some sort but don't even know where to start as I am hoping to find work within the next few months so training time is a big issue at the moment.

GSP

1,965 posts

203 months

Monday 23rd May 2011
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Please don't qoute me or take anything I say as gospel.

I'll just say from my experience, spending a lot of money on training won't give you any significant advantage in getting into the wind industry if you have no previous experience. It may help with oil & gas as you can go offshore unskilled and paint something, this isn't the case with wind, most roles are reasonably specialist.

Using Siemens as an example, if you were recruited as a trainee technician (no previous experience), you would spend your first few weeks doing all the training that you have just listed again in Newcastle (so you would have wasted a lot of money).

Without experience or a specific skill all I can suggest is that you keep trying for trainee technician roles. In fairness though, the UK construction industry isn't in great shape... but the Wind Industry is, so there is an awful lot of highly skilled people with mechanical and electrical experience that you are up against and are willing to take a trainee position to get a foot in the door.



Edited by GSP on Monday 23 May 13:28

rodgerramjet

1,112 posts

217 months

Tuesday 21st June 2011
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Hi all,

I knew I remembered reading something on here re wind energy jobs! Just bumping the thread to ask if anyone had any success in gaining employment within the sector?

I'm currently rewriting my CV to send off speculatively to Siemens plus a few others, in the hope that if something comes up I will be considered.

To those who currently work in the sector, would you recommend a short, basic CV if inexperienced in the sector, or is it wise to elaborate on all things electrical and mechanical that I have in my favour? The advertised positions I have seen thus far don't offer much in the way of material I could expand on for my CV ie they only ask for basic requirements. I don't want to babble on about electro-mechanical and opto-electrical experience if it would put off any potential reader.

GSP

1,965 posts

203 months

Tuesday 21st June 2011
quotequote all
rodgerramjet said:
Hi all,

I knew I remembered reading something on here re wind energy jobs! Just bumping the thread to ask if anyone had any success in gaining employment within the sector?

I'm currently rewriting my CV to send off speculatively to Siemens plus a few others, in the hope that if something comes up I will be considered.

To those who currently work in the sector, would you recommend a short, basic CV if inexperienced in the sector, or is it wise to elaborate on all things electrical and mechanical that I have in my favour? The advertised positions I have seen thus far don't offer much in the way of material I could expand on for my CV ie they only ask for basic requirements. I don't want to babble on about electro-mechanical and opto-electrical experience if it would put off any potential reader.
Where abouts in Scotland are you based.

I have nothing to do with Onshore, and Service fall under a completely different area to where I work... however,

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/siemens-energy-wind-t...

https://jobsearch.siemens.biz/career?company=Sieme...

Griffin is a decent size onshore wind farm... nice secure job for 8 people for the next 25 years. Probably with the chance of moving into service offshore.


rodgerramjet

1,112 posts

217 months

Tuesday 21st June 2011
quotequote all
GSP said:
Where abouts in Scotland are you based.

I have nothing to do with Onshore, and Service fall under a completely different area to where I work... however,

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/siemens-energy-wind-t...

https://jobsearch.siemens.biz/career?company=Sieme...


Griffin is a decent size onshore wind farm... nice secure job for 8 people for the next 25 years. Probably with the chance of moving into service offshore.
Hi GSP, thanks for the speedy reply smile

Thanks you also for the links. I have been keeping an eye on the usual websites but as I have been a bit busy at work of late some will slip under my radar. I reside in Motherwell, about 1hr from Perth on a good day, so it is commutable, providing it's not much further from Perth town in the wrong direction.

I have an old school-friend who currently works for Siemens offshore, but I've not spoken to him for a wee while. Last time we spoke he said he would submit my CV as part of a refer-a-friend type scheme, so I need to get my CV tailored to suit the role.

Do you have any advice on any attributes that would be desireable, other than the electric/mechanical, work at heights, H&S knowledge that they ask for in the job adverts?

Thanks again for your help smile

pikeyboy

2,349 posts

213 months

Tuesday 21st June 2011
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Vestas techi's at scroby sands in yarmouth are on 38 quid an hour.....

GSP

1,965 posts

203 months

Tuesday 21st June 2011
quotequote all
boy said:
Vestas techi's at scroby sands in yarmouth are on 38 quid an hour.....
£6.5k for a 2 week rotation... I doubt that very much... Unless they have contracts where they don't get paid for weather down time etc.

GSP

1,965 posts

203 months

Tuesday 21st June 2011
quotequote all
rodgerramjet said:
Hi GSP, thanks for the speedy reply smile

Thanks you also for the links. I have been keeping an eye on the usual websites but as I have been a bit busy at work of late some will slip under my radar. I reside in Motherwell, about 1hr from Perth on a good day, so it is commutable, providing it's not much further from Perth town in the wrong direction.

I have an old school-friend who currently works for Siemens offshore, but I've not spoken to him for a wee while. Last time we spoke he said he would submit my CV as part of a refer-a-friend type scheme, so I need to get my CV tailored to suit the role.

Do you have any advice on any attributes that would be desireable, other than the electric/mechanical, work at heights, H&S knowledge that they ask for in the job adverts?

Thanks again for your help smile
The site is between Perth and aberfeldy, it's a huge site, I know a few of the projects guys working on the installation.

What role does the guy you know do in offshore? That's probably your best route in if they are senior. I've recommended one or two off here, only one chap has been successful though after the sifting process.

You will need to make a point of your willingness to learn, hopefully that your a quick learner too. Very safety conscious. Make a point of how your really interested and keen to work in the renewables industry. It helps if you genuinely are, you can see right through people who are not.

escargot

17,110 posts

216 months

Wednesday 22nd June 2011
quotequote all
GSP said:
£6.5k for a 2 week rotation... I doubt that very much... Unless they have contracts where they don't get paid for weather down time etc.
Aye, that's well over double the going rate for siemens level 3 techies. Fair play if true though.

ujio

311 posts

169 months

Wednesday 22nd June 2011
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GSP said:
The site is between Perth and aberfeldy, it's a huge site, I know a few of the projects guys working on the installation.

What role does the guy you know do in offshore? That's probably your best route in if they are senior. I've recommended one or two off here, only one chap has been successful though after the sifting process.

You will need to make a point of your willingness to learn, hopefully that your a quick learner too. Very safety conscious. Make a point of how your really interested and keen to work in the renewables industry. It helps if you genuinely are, you can see right through people who are not.
Is this something you can get into if you have no practical experience but all the understanding of the theory (after working in a power company as an office monkey)?

I am genuinely interested in renewables but as I said, I have no tech or engineering background and fancy a change.



escargot

17,110 posts

216 months

Wednesday 22nd June 2011
quotequote all
It's not entirely out of the question Ujio, but it will be incredibly difficult. You have to remember you'll be competing against people who equally may not have any turbine experience, but who may have a technical/engineering background with transferable skills. If I were you, I'd look at some kind of vocational course in Mechanical/Electrical engineering and see where it takes you thereafter.