Wind turbine technician Review

I am a member of a wind turbine maintenance team. I travel across the UK to various offshore wind farms and participate in general maintenance, retrofits and extensive servicing of wind turbines. As a trainee, I shadow various team members to gain practical experience of various tasks to be undertaken on the wind turbine. Once competent at a task, I then gather evidence of task completion and compile an apprentice portfolio, to bolster my qualification. My job is incredibly varied and interesting. It involves sailing to wind farms, some of which can be in excess of 50 miles from shore! Every day is different and each turbine poses new and ever interesting challenges to myself and my team.

I've learnt an incredible amount of new skills and developed significantly as a person along the way. I am capable of undertaking most mechanical, hydraulic and electrical engineering maintenance tasks, both with applications to heavy industry and precision engineering. Wind turbines are both very large and very delicate machines, so the attention to detail and ability to adapt to new situations is one of the most significant attributes I have developed.

My programme has been incredibly interesting and rewarding. I've met new friends and colleagues during my first years at college in the North East, and developed great working relationships with other technicians as I've travelled across the UK. I find I'm taken incredibly seriously as an apprentice at Siemens Gamesa, and my efforts do not go unnoticed.

My programme is constantly changing with every new intake. The ethos behind the programme is to create the best possible iteration for each new apprentice taken on by Siemens Gamesa every year. Despite the infancy of my apprenticeship structure, I have found it exceptionally thorough. The apprenticeship team are exceptional at what they do, and I have never experienced a problem too difficult for them to assist or manage.

I am offered all the support I require from my employer; all I need to do is ask. There is a huge emphasis on individual wellbeing within the company, including a strong health and safety mindset. Siemens Gamesa promotes a happy, healthy workplace at all times in all areas of the business.

My training provider works in conjunction with my employer to deliver training and support. Within the first years of my apprenticeship, my training provider delivered a great amount of support and time while I was studying at college. In the current and latter years of my apprenticeship, I am working vocational under Siemens Gamesa, and as such my training provider has released a little support, in favour of allowing me to settle into my role for the company. However, it is emphasised that the support is always there, should I ask for it.

My qualification helped me gain a basic understanding of engineering as a whole, and the different aspects of engineering on a wind turbine that I may face. The information I have absorbed during my time at college has been invaluable in moulding me into a valued, productive member of a wond turbine maintenance team. I feel that without this, I may have needed to take a very long period as a shadow, and may never have developed into a competent technician as quickly as I currently have.

Siemens Gamesa enjoys spending resources on extra curricular activity, both to bolster the company in the eye of the public but also to give its employees a better quality of life. I have participated in many extra curricular events during my short time at Siemens Gamesa, including Race for Life marshalling, company promotion and networking events, apprenticeship intakes and company excellence galas. I hope to participate in many more.

Yes

Siemens Gamesa is an exceptional employer. They treat apprentices very well (in some cases, it could be argued better than standard employees!), and the rewards post qualification are endless. After my apprenticeship at Siemens Gamesa, I can reach for higher levels of work almost immediately. Siemens Gamesa recognises those individuals with drive and conviction, and will assist them towards achieving higher roles and greater heights within the business.

Siemens Gamesa is very proud of its company image. It is important to ensure that one is familiar with the company, its ethos, and its background prior to applying. Siemens Gamesa enjoys public exposure, such as participation in networking and apprenticeship intake events. It could be advised to attend as many of these as possible, as it will bolster one's persona among employees within Siemens Gamesa and can only work positively towards ones CV.