The engineering profession is constantly changing with new technologies, increasing safety concerns, and a worldwide transition regarding energy production.
The transition to renewable energy sources has created a strong demand for professionals who understand working in difficult situations from both the technical and safety perspectives.
Wind energy is developing rapidly, with offshore and onshore turbines identical in Europe, North America and Asia. Many engineers looking to work in wind energy have realized that gwo certification has become an essential credential in this regard.
The global growth of wind power
Wind energy is one of the fastest growing sources of electricity globally. According to the International Energy Agency capacity has doubled in the past 10 years led by offshore projects.
Wind turbine engineers will operate and maintain and inspect the wind turbine systems using all of their traditional engineering skills and techniques, they will now be worked out on towers which can be greater than 100 meters high, with rotor blades that are longer than a football field, offshore installations meaning travel by vessel or helicopter and in places of uncertainty.
In these environments engineering skill is not enough, workers need to be ready for emergency situations, manage heavy equipment, and understand the risks from working at heights, in confined spaces and in rapidly changing weather environments.
To address this need, the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) developed a series of standardized training programmes designed to develop a safer, more uniform workforce across the industry.
What GWO certification involves?
GWO certification confirms that engineers and technicians have acquired safety skills and knowledge for application to wind energies operations. The first step is the Basic Safety Training (BST) package, which is made up of five basic modules:
- Working at Height: Safe climbing techniques and fall protection approaches, and the procedures for rescue at heights in turbine towers.
- Manual Handling: Proper handling techniques, postures, and practices for lifting and carrying loads or moving heavy components to avoid injury.
- Fire Awareness: How to identify fire hazards, respond to a fire, and fire risk management in confined or high voltage environments.
- First Aid: Designed to develop emergent response awareness, CPR, and basic first aid and treatment of common injuries that occur within the workplace.
- Sea Survival (for offshore work): Understand evacuation from turbine; rescue scenarios; to instructor led scenario-based learning for survival techniques at sea.
During each of the modules the training is based on real-time tasks and realistic risks to engineers in the wind sector.
Completion of the packages will help ensure and develop safety attitudes, but also give employer’s confidence in new hires being capable of adapting to a complex operational environment.
Why is certification standardised?
The greatest advantage to GWO certification is its internationally recognized credential. Before GWO was developed in 2012, companies had their own internal training systems leading to duplication, uncertainty and lack of consistency when technicians transitioned to a new employer.
The GWO standard has achieved consensus including turbine manufacturers and operators, introducing a common standard across the industry.
Today, an engineer with a valid GWO certification can take on work anywhere in the world. An engineer may maintain turbines in the North Sea, install equipment in Texas, or conduct inspections in Asia.
Eventually, mobility is the hallmark of GWO training in the renewables field.
Flexible learning formats
Engineering professionals often find themselves at a busy time, sometimes making it impossible to achieve the necessary training. Therefore, numerous training centers now deliver GWO modules through blended learning.
Blended learning is convenient, as the course participant can complete the theory elements online at their own pace and complete the practical training in person. There are also the factors of transport and accommodation to consider while still complying with the relevant international standards.
Providers like FMTC Safety have become a leader in scaling flexible learning options for training, ensuring learner development with the quality known and expected throughout the execution of their training.
The fact training can take place without compromising on quality for engineer professionals, who must consider project work and professional development all at once, makes it one of the better solutions.
The importance of refreshers
Once you become certified it isn’t forever. Like most GWO certification, the modules require refresher training every two years to assure knowledge and practice does not become outdated.
For instance, it is possible that techniques delivered in rope access advance, or that personal protective equipment changes. Refresher courses focus the engineer with the most current best practices, standards and regulatory requirements in an industry that has safety and innovation evolving in tandem.
Employers are supportive of refresher training, and they should be, as it demonstrates personal and employer commitment to professional business standards.
The engineer that makes the effort to keep his/her licensing and certifications current is not only serious about safety, but is easier to hire as a competitor, and usually represents their employer better.
Career Transition Opportunities for Engineers
Engineers looking to move into renewables will find GWO certification to be a clear pathway.
For example, while, mechanical may have opportunities in blade repair or gearbox, electrical may specialize in turbine high-voltage systems or civil engineers would gravitate to offshore foundation, all with safety training as a part of the technical expertise.
The certification is not limited to anyone new to the field. For example, engineers with years of experience in other industries, such as oil and gas, will attest that GWO provides an efficient start to move into renewables.
The systematic approach of GWO ensures that even those with years and years of technical experience are obtaining important safety information as relevant and necessary to wind energy.
Professional credibility beyond safety
While GWO certification is primarily about personal safety, it has professional credibility. Employers use it when screening candidates and staff when project managers build multinational teams.
For engineers, the certificate indicates they are ready and prepared to work in environments where precision and resilience matter, and they understand the collaborative culture that forms project teamwork in modern energy projects when individuals with diverse expertise from multiple disciplines significantly rely on shared training and prior tasks, including rebuilding trust that still lasts.
Engineering relevance beyond discipline
Wind energy needs much more than technicians climbing towers: materials science, structural designs, controls, environmental monitoring, etc.
Engineers in those functional areas may never need to go inside of a turbine, but understanding the context of GWO’s certification, engineers understand what their colleagues may face in the field.
Having a GWO certification improves credibility with technicians for project leaders if they have a certification, as well.
This relevance across multiple engineering disciplines is further evidence that GWO is not just a compliance regulation but also a substantial aspect of the broader professional toolkit for modern engineers.
Conclusion
The engineering engagement for wind energy science is considerably different from all other engineering engagements. It requires mechanical capacities and considerable environmental unpredictability while remaining keenly aware of safety vigilance.
In this activity, GWO brings structured, recognized and practical means to underpin and promote that knowledge within engineers to perform well. It provides consistency across international projects, accommodates career mobility, supports safety culture.