DAWSON CREEK – The only Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician program offered in British Columbia is underway at Northern Lights College with a full inaugural intake of 16 learners.
The Wind Turbine Technician program is one of the cornerstones of the NLC’s Centre of Excellence for Clean Energy Technologies based at Dawson Creek Campus.
The program commenced on Feb. 1, and it was a busy first week for the learners and instructor Duane Mitchell.
In addition to settling into the program’s new classroom in the gymnasium building, the class hosted two special guests from BZEE.
BZEE is an international conglomerate of manufacturers, government, and environment groups that develops the training curriculum required so that wind turbine technicians acquire the same level of basic knowledge. NLC is a member of BZEE, and Mitchell travelled to Germany in 2009 to complete six weeks of wind turbine instructor certification training.
Nils Peters and Beate Buhl made their first-ever visit to Dawson Creek on Feb. 4 to see the program in operation, and to provide NLC with access to BZEE’s database. That database can be accessed only by BZEE-affiliated colleges, and contains the approved program curriculum.
“We are very happy the program has started in British Columbia. It covers a very important need here, and will bring people into employment in the region,” Peters said.
Peters pointed out that it would be important for the learners to have hands-on experience. At NLC, much of that hands-on experience will come via a training tower to be erected in conjunction with the ongoing Energy House construction.
“This cannot just be a blackboard and chalk program. The equipment, when installed, will be the complete College training facility,” Peters said.
Graduates from the certificate program, which concludes in January 2011, will be prepared to enter the steadily expanding wind energy sector. Students are provided with the theoretical knowledge base supporting wind turbines and the practical maintenance procedures required to maintain turbine output availability.
The curriculum includes safety and wind turbine-specific courses, as well as pertinent electrical and millwright training. As well, there is a month-long summer practicum placement for each learner.
For more information on the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician program, or any program at NLC, check the website at nlc.bc.ca, or contact the Student Recruitment department at 1-866-463-6652.
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