January 27, 2020

GWO training will grow on East Coast says Rhode Island funding body

Workforce development expert predicts growth in GWO training to support offshore market

The next two years will see more GWO training sites established in America’s east coast, leading experts have said.

Laura Hastings, Grant Advisor for the State of Rhode Island, Department of Labor and Training, expects GWO to have a role in the growing wind industry in Rhode Island, USA. She says that it is also of great significance for the American wind industry to be able to experience in first person what a GWO Training is about, “to see people falling into the water and saving each other, the idea that we can see it and touch it, is important for the industry”.

GWO had the chance to meet representatives from the North America wind industry last November during WindEurope Offshore 2019 in Copenhagen. Specifically, GWO has discussed with Laura Hastings the future of GWO trainings in the State of Rhode Island.

The North American wind industry is growing rapidly and the need for technicians for working in onshore and offshore wind farms will be rising. 10 GWO Certified Training Providers operate across the United States and Canada and the number is destined to grow in the next years.

Rhode Island will be involved in the building of at least three new offshore wind farms that will bring, together with the operations of the existing Block Island Wind Farm, the capacity to produce over 1.7 gigawatts.

(Photo - RSZ Roedsand Windfarm - RWE Renewables)

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/VsVxGrHo2sg?t=28