New Cross Skill Programme Building Pathways into the Wind Industry

GWO is proud to collaborate with ECITB and ORE Catapult on the Wind Cross Skill Programme, an important step forward for wind workforce development. By recognising existing competence, the programme helps experienced electrical, mechanical and instrumentation technicians build the additional skills needed to work in wind without unnecessary duplication of training.

Recognising competence, reducing duplication

The Wind Cross Skill Programme combines ECITB's Connected Competence technical tests with GWO training standards, creating a structured pathway for experienced technicians to transition into the wind industry. This recognition of prior learning helps reduce training time and costs while ensuring technicians continue to meet the high safety and technical standards expected across the global wind industry.

A resilient energy workforce

As offshore wind continues to expand, the industry requires a growing number of experienced technicians. At the same time, many highly skilled professionals in oil & gas possess competencies that can be applied across both sectors with targeted upskilling rather than complete retraining.  

By tapping into this pool of competent workers, the Wind Cross Skill Programme leverages existing technical competence with wind-specific safety and maintenance training through GWO safety and technical standards.  

This collaborative approach helps employers access a broader pool of competent workers, creates clearer career pathways for technicians looking to work across the energy sector and demonstrates how industry collaboration can improve workforce mobility without compromising safety or quality.

Collaboration for the energy transition

By aligning competence frameworks and recognising existing skills, the initiative supports a more agile workforce capable of contributing to both established and emerging energy technologies.

As the programme successfully moves past its year-long pilot phase it offers a practical example of how shared industry standards can help accelerate the energy transition while making the best use of existing technical expertise. Read more about the pilot phase here.

“We have worked closely with the ECITB on the development of this programme and are delighted to see its official launch today.

Our focus has obviously been to ensure technicians are equipped with the training and skills that wind employers need while ensuring existing skills are recognised and reducing any duplication of training.

The programme achieves alignment with industry standards through GWO’s safety and technical training certification reducing duplication and training time for technicians.”

Jakob Lau Holst,
CEO, GWO

About the ECITB

The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) is the employer-led skills body for the Engineering Construction Industry in Great Britain.  

A non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Education, the ECITB works with employers and government to attract, develop and qualify personnel across a wide range of craft, technical and managerial disciplines.  www.ecitb.org.uk

About Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult

ORE Catapult is the UK’s leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. It plays a key role in delivering the UK’s Net Zero targets by accelerating the creation and growth of UK companies in the offshore renewable energy sector.

It was established in 2013 by the UK Government, as part of a network of Catapults set up by InnovateUK in high-growth industries. Its mission is to deliver the UK’s largest clean growth opportunity by accelerating the creation and growth of UK companies in offshore renewable energy. ore.catapult.org.uk