During a quick visit to Head Office, we sat down with Competent Technician Dave to find out more about what working in the wind industry with Boston Energy means to him and to find out more about what day-to-day life is really like as a Wind Turbine Technician. Without further ado, take it away Dave!
How did you get into the wind industry?
I used to be a car mechanic by trade, so I served my time at Honda in Bradford, and eventually ended up at a breakdown company working on the roadside and stuff like that. Good job. Enjoyed it. I just felt as though I wanted to be doing more. A relative worked for another renewable energy company doing offshore wind turbine maintenance, and he recommended the wind energy industry to me.
I investigated it, got on my own training, and began sending my CV to various companies. I wasn’t really getting anywhere, and so he recommended Boston Energy as he used to work here himself. I got in touch which led to a meeting with the Hiring Manager, I had my interview and that was it! From start to finish, from not knowing anything about this industry to being offered a job, the process took around six months.
Do you have a special moment/memory during your time as a technician you would like to share?
It’s generally a lot of the time when we’ll get out on the turbine in the morning; we’ll be going through what we need to do, and we’ll be looking out on the views as the sun starts coming up and suddenly, we’re looking out across the ocean, and we’ll see porpoises and orcas. It’s special, I don’t regret the transition into this industry one bit.
What does a typical day look like for you as a Competent Technician?
So once we’ve climbed up to the turbine, we’ll then make sure it’s safe everywhere so we can work. We set the crane up, and check our equipment; so whatever we need: personal kit, tool kits, consumable kits, – whatever it is we need to do the job.
Our Team Lead will then phone the control centre and request control of the turbine whilst we’re working on it. Once we get the green light, we can flip the switch to local, meaning that this removes the ability for the onshore control team or the turbine itself to start doing its own thing – the team in the turbine have full control over what the turbine does. This just ensures that nothing starts moving whilst we’re working in there and it makes the working environment much safer for us.
We’ll then begin going through work tasks, this could be cleaning, maintenance, servicing, troubleshooting, retrofits – every day is different. Once we’re finished, we’ll pack everything away and give back control of the turbine to the control team and be on our way to the next one.
How would you say Boston Energy has supported your career progression to this point and in the future?
We’ve literally been on the same page with everything to be honest. My original plan when I first got into the industry, I just wanted to be on the tools. It’s what I enjoy – you tell me what to fix and I’ll fix it. I like diagnosing them and repairing things as well, but to do that, you need to progress a few levels higher.
After I’d completed a couple of years training up to be a Competent Technician, I decided that I did want to progress further into a Troubleshooter, but obviously I would need to train to be a Maintenance Technician first. So I made the office aware and Margo, our Head of Technician Development and Retention began working on a plan to help me upskill.
Shortly after this, I got the call to say I was going to be put forward for training which would enable me to progress into a Team Lead position on Direct Drive turbines, which was perfect. Within two weeks the details were finalised and I’m now on my way to achieving my career aspirations.
Do you have any special memories with Boston Energy you’d like to share?
The special moments are literally just when you come into Head Office. You might not have been in for a while, but everybody makes you feel welcome, you’re able to sit and catch up with everybody.
You don’t get that everywhere; other industries I’ve worked in, you never got that.
What would you say is your favourite thing about working in the wind industry?
It’s definitely the people. I’ve actually had this conversation with a few chaps on turbines and generally the agreement is we couldn’t do anything else. What we do is brilliant, there isn’t another industry like it. It’s a hell of a career, just being into this tiny little world. Because even though the wind industry is quite big, it’s still a small place. You bump into people that you’ve met over the years, so you can still keep in contact with people.
Do you have any specific career goals from now?
I would like to get to an Offshore Troubleshooter position, at the moment I am supervised and support the tasks we need to complete on the turbine whereas in the future I would like to have more responsibility.
Would you recommend Boston Energy and why?
Yes I would. Working in the wind industry has opened up a different lifestyle and aspect of actually enjoying work again and actually giving you something to progress onto, rather than just getting up, going to your work, doing your thing, going on.
It makes the difference between going to work because you have to and going to work because you love it. It’s nice to know we’re making a difference we’re keeping the power on for millions of homes and businesses across the UK.
It’s a career where you’re using your mind, using your hands; you’re fixing things and you’re mending problems. And so, you’re mentally active you’re physically active and you get to meet a lot of new people from all over the country. Which is something I wouldn’t have experienced without Boston Energy.
So there you have it! Working in the wind industry isn’t just a workplace—it’s a family, a community of passionate professionals committed to pushing the boundaries of renewable energy. From the challenging projects to the supportive culture and the opportunities for growth, Boston Energy is dedicated to ensuring new and experienced technicians achieve their personal career aspirations, and most importantly, enjoy the journey!
If you are an experienced wind turbine technician looking to join the Boston Energy family, you can find all of our roles available to apply for on our vacancies page.
Or if you would like to know more about how you can pursue a career in the wind energy industry with Boston Energy, send your CV to recruitment@bostonenergy.co.uk!