Wind Turbine Jobs

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows; unsustainable energy is out, and green energy wind turbine jobs are in. If you want to be part of the green energy revolution, consider a career in wind turbines.  

1. Engineer: If your buddies nicknamed you MacGyver – and not because of an uncanny resemblance to Richard Dean Anderson – you might make the cut for a career in wind turbine engineering, where you can save the planet. Of course, mad MacGyver skills aside, you will need a degree. Wind turbine engineering jobs include environmental, electronic, health and safety, mechanical or civil engineering. You might not cut through ropes with a pine air freshener like MacGyver did in that Super Bowl XL ad, but you will help ensure future generations enjoy real pines and fresh air, and that trumps any top-secret gig for the Phoenix Foundation.
2. Manufacturing: Forget blue collar work; green collar work is the wave of the future. Many wind turbine plants in the Midwest have taken up shop in old automobile factories, planting a seed in a field some thought had died. You can be part of that rebirth while earning a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics-reported median wage of $41,480 for entry-level machinists – no degree required. With a college degree and experience, you might even work your way up the ranks to a production manager job and earn more.
3. Scientist: Classmates may have called you a science nerd back in high school, but they will turn green with envy at the next reunion when they hear about your wind turbine job. The wind turbine industry needs scientists at every stage. Geologists examine a potential wind farm's topography to make sure it can support the heavy turbines, while meteorologists measure the wind and monitor weather for volatile patterns that could threaten the project.   Environmental and wildlife scientists are the watchdogs for ecosystems and animals. You may have been shy about sharing your geeky career plans back in the day, but now you will be a superhero.
4. Construction: Wind turbines might look some kind of strange alien spy devices dropped from a UFO, but they actually take a great deal of construction expertise and labor from the ground up. Somebody has to pave roads to the wind farm, and somebody has to operate the crane to stack the tower components. You might even be able to get in on the action with no formal education, although expect an apprenticeship. No matter the construction job you perform, you will literally help build the green future.
5. Operations: While your friends get fat sitting in their cubicles all day, you will get lean and mean climbing ladders all day to the tops of turbines. Yes, you read that correctly: the tops of turbines. This wind turbine job is not for the faint of heart. You will regularly balance high atop the nacelle, repairing blade connections. Since the wind energy industry is still new, no formal education requirements exist, but they are on the way. You might need a certificate or degree, but the investment pays off with the BLS reporting starting salaries of $35,000 to $40,000.