Europe faces major wind staff shortage

EUROPE: The European wind industry is facing potential shortages in trained staff of up to 18,000 by 2030, or 5% of the entire workforce.

by James Quilter 7 February 2013

The results were presented at EWEA 2013 by the EU's Wind Energy Technology Platform and based on research by GL Garrad Hassan.

Speaking to “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç TV at EWEA 2013, GL Garrad Hassan chairman Andrew Garrad said operations and maintenance could be worst affected, with a shortfall as high as 10,000 by 2030.

Offshore could be the worst hit, said Garrad. "There we're competing directly with the oil and gas industry, which still pays quite a lot more than the wind business."

Recommendations in the report, include:

  • Promoting science, technology, engineering and maths skills in vocational training 
  • Increase industry input into academic courses
  • More graduates of wind generalist courses
  • Harmonisation of vocational training and education across the EU
  • More emphasis on training in operations and maintenance


Garrad also called for the industry to get people interested in the engineering aspect of the wind industry.

He said: "We have no trouble bringing in talented people. But they're all short of experience. We can't do anything about that, so we have to provide them with the training."