“We are recruiting all the time" – Alpha

GWO Training Standards enable technicians to work safely and to move from project-to-project easily. This is good for the industry and individual companies and provides career opportunities in the wind sector

That is why Alpha, with a training center based in Houston, Texas, is now a certified GWO training provider. The company set up their center in response to the growing demand from operators and OEMs for GWO trained technicians.  

Sheila Deroche, Alpha Training Manager, explains:

"GWO training is an important investment because it enables companies working in construction, installation, operations and maintenance of wind farms to mobilize their workforce for quick turnaround on projects and provides confidence that their technicians are working to the highest safety standards. The payoff is safety on the job through standardization with improved productivity." 

The comprehensive service portfolio of Alpha includes turbine maintenance, blade services, installation and commissioning, main component exchange, balance of plant maintenance, engineering, and equipment supply. And now GWO safety training. 

“We are recruiting all the time and currently have around 70 technicians working for us,” Sheila says, “and for those with GWO credentials, they have a leg up on their careers.” 

Here is why! In addition to providing standardized safety and technical training that is recognized across the industry, GWO operates the WINDA database with three levels of benefits:  

1. Employers can use WINDA to verify the current training status of their personnel as well as new hires.  
   
2. Technicians across the industry can log in to WINDA and access personal verified information on the status and validity of training courses completed to highlight their status to current and future employers. 
   
3. Training providers can upload records of technicians and use WINDA to complement existing management systems. 
   

From every perspective, that is the key to hiring a qualified workforce in the wind industry: safety, standardization, and productivity.