Workforce Development
The United States wind energy industry is made up manufacturers, construction workers, developers, engineers, educators and businesspeople, who comprise a workforce of 75,000 Americans in all 50 states. As our Nation’s use of wind energy continues to grow, ensuring the development of industry workers is crucial. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is committed to the development of this burgeoning energy’s greatest resource: the industry workforce.
AWEA strives to facilitate investments of effort in the wind industry workforce, including instating programs to cultivate skills specific to the wind industry, implementing wind energy education in classrooms of students of all ages, creating continued educational opportunities for industry workers and establishing programs to administer proper industry training. AWEA is committed to the development of wind industry workers across all levels of the industry workforce. Workforce development also includes placing wind industry professionals in the right jobs, and connecting wind energy companies with employees that are in line with their needs. This investment in the workforce is integral to the sustained growth and continued success of the United States wind industry.
As part of its commitment to workforce development, AWEA has registered Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes for wind energy technicians, wind turbine erectors, wind turbine mechanics and wind turbine service technicians. AWEA has also made great strides toward registering a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the wind industry, to assist in the collection of industry workforce information, including injury and illness rates, wage determination and other statistical figures.
As a dynamic, rapidly evolving industry, wind energy calls upon talented individuals with a wide range of skill sets. The aim of workforce development is to increase the effectiveness of both the workforce as whole, and the individual worker.
