Safety and skills development on show at China Wind Power 2026

GWO recently contributed to discussions on workforce safety and skills development at the 2026 Wind Power Industry Practitioners Safety Seminar, held alongside China Wind Power (CWP).

Appearing via video, Jakob Lau Holst, CEO of GWO highlighted the importance of standardised training, workforce competence and international collaboration as the global wind industry continues to expand.

China's role in the global energy transition

During his address, Jakob acknowledged China's significant contribution to the global energy transition. The country's large-scale deployment of wind power, combined with manufacturing innovation, has helped reduce costs and accelerate the development of wind energy worldwide.

However, rapid growth also brings several challenges. First, as installed capacity expands, the demand for skilled technicians also increases. At the same time, large numbers of new workers are entering the industry, often with limited practical experience.

Ensuring that workforce competence and safety keep pace with this expansion is therefore a shared priority, especially in relation to consistent safety training and supervision.

‍

Addressing workforce challenges through common standards

A central message of Jakob's contribution was the growing shortage of skilled workers and the safety challenges associated with rapid industry expansion. GWO's targeted, short-duration training programmes and digital tools can help the industry address these challenges by equipping new workers with essential safety competencies and enabling employers to manage and verify their training more effectively.

Jakob also highlighted the importance of recognising skills across companies as the wind industry's supply chain becomes increasingly diverse and specialised. With more contractors and service providers involved in different stages of wind energy projects, common training standards and cross-company recognition of competencies are essential to maintaining consistent safety expectations.

Broader participation from service providers in GWO can help strengthen this shared approach, supporting workforce safety across the entire wind energy value chain.

‍

Continuing the dialogue

We would like to thank to the organisers of the 2026 Wind Power Industry Practitioners Safety Seminar for the invitation to contribute.

GWO looks forward to continuing engagement with stakeholders in China, supporting the adoption of global training standards and the recognition of workforce competencies across the industry.

As wind energy continues to grow, international collaboration on safety and skills development will remain essential to building a competent, mobile and safe global workforce.

‍