working with wind turbines...

boost creep

hello everybody, i'm currently unemployed and have been looking for a change in direction for my next job, i come from a mechanical background and would really like to work in the maintenance and repair of wind turbines.
so anyway i've found a training course in Denmark which gives training in the maintenance of the gearbox and power transfer systems of turbines.
it's a 4 day course which costs €4000, i know this is expensive but i'm hoping it could be a worthwhile investment in my future. is there anyone here who already works on wind turbines? if so do you think i should go down this route?
i would really appreciate any advice before i decide to go for it...

CatFromHue

i would have thought for 4000 you could get a course in ireland that would include what the course in denmark covers and much more.

to put in it perspective dcu offer a 1 year full time masters course in computer aided mechanical and manufacturing eng for 2500. it was 2000 last year.

plus you'd have the costs of flights and accomodation to add on to the 4000.

mvt

Have been applying for wind farm technicians jobs myself without any luck.GE are looking for one in Cavan atm.
The course is very expensive,tbh,but it might be a chance worth taking if you can afford it.However you must remember that it might end up being a waste of time and that all of your hard earned cash is gone .
Hardly likely though,I would guess that the likes of GE or Enercon would snap you up if they saw that you were prepared to go to all that effort.
Why don't you check out that Cavan job on Monster,apply and tell them that you are considering this course and see where that takes you.

nogoodnamesleft

mvt wrote: »

Have been applying for wind farm technicians jobs myself without any luck.GE are looking for one in Cavan atm.
The course is very expensive,tbh,but it might be a chance worth taking if you can afford it.However you must remember that it might end up being a waste of time and that all of your hard earned cash is gone .
Hardly likely though,I would guess that the likes of GE or Enercon would snap you up if they saw that you were prepared to go to all that effort.
Why don't you check out that Cavan job on Monster,apply and tell them that you are considering this course and see where that takes you.

Sorry the above is mis informed:

If the OP is looking for a job with Enercon after blowing 4k on a course like that he is after wasting time and a lot of money.
Enercon systems are direct drive (i.e. they have no gearbox!). It functions on electrical engineering principals i.e. electromagnetic induction to produce current. The only moving parts that are the two bearings supporting the shaft. This leads to less maintenance and more uptime over the traditional equivelent of using a gearbox.

You would be better off looking at the IWEA. They have courses on VESTAS turbine equipment, such as how it works as well as maintenance courses last time I looked.

EDIT Link to previous courses:

http://www.iwea.com/index.cfm?page=viewEvent&id=41&year=2009&month=12

boost creep

thanks for the replies lads, there's some very useful information
there which will help to take the next step, i'm convinced it's the
way to go, it may take some time to get the qualifications i need
but the opportunities to make a great career will come along...

baalthor

I live near a wind farm and they don't look like they need a lot of people to look after them.

nogoodnamesleft

baalthor wrote: »

I live near a wind farm and they don't look like they need a lot of people to look after them.

A great deal of work is involved in ensuring a turbine stays operational. Most are controlled and monitored remotely using satellite broadband.

But they do require constant maintenance. For example there are crews to repair turbine blades after bird strikes and damage or chip to the blade or the leading edge of the turbine blade leads to additional vibration which again can lead to operational problems. Other maintenance crews are shift rostered.

aidomcdonnell

I am in the same boat im also looking for work in this industry .
Chevron training do a 4 day small wind turbine course and its €990 and they recon its enough to get you in the door of the big companies

Bandana boy

Not sure I would shell out 4K plus expenses until I knew more about what it is GE and their ilk actually want.
Are GE running their own Maintenance or outsourcing to the likes of Gaeltec and DEX ?