Wind Turbine Technician Schools in North Carolina

In North Carolina, the average wind turbine technician climbs and inspects multiple turbines. They will also find themselves now and then using computers to carry out diagnostic and troubleshooting operations.

Candidates interested in pursuing this career in the state will be glad to know that the steps involved in the process are as smooth and straightforward as possible. Understanding the general requirements from the start makes it even easier to sail through with minimal hassles.

For this reason, we have provided a guide below, including all the steps involved in becoming a wind turbine technician in North Carolina, along with the certification requirements, top schools in the area, and potential salary to look forward to.

How to Become a Wind Turbine Technician in North Carolina

Below are some of the most important considerations in starting a successful wind turbine technician career in North Carolina.

Provide a High School Diploma or Equivalent

Candidates looking for admission into a solid wind turbine technician school in North Carolina may have to provide their high school diploma or GED as proof that they meet the basic educational requirements. They may also provide any equivalent alternative, such as their GED results.

Regarding relevant topics to know beforehand, basic knowledge of physics, mathematics, and chemistry comes in handy.

Choose a Training Route

Wind turbine technology training programs will prepare future wind turbine technicians in North Carolina for key aspects of their duties. Candidates have a handful of alternatives regarding their exact educational structure. They include the following:

On-the-Job Route

On-the-job training offers a direct route to becoming a wind turbine technician by learning everything while working in a real-world environment. These kinds of training are most suitable for candidates with prior experience in renewable energy fields.

Apprenticeship programs offered by schools and private organizations also provide opportunities for learning on the job.

Academic Route

Enrolling in an academic program is the most popular approach to wind turbine technician education. Rather than focusing on real-world training from the start, academic programs provide classroom foundational training to prepare candidates for what the real world expects of them.

Hybrid Route - Academic Training + On-the-Job Training

In the end, candidates can choose their training path, and seeing as both training on the job and attending academic programs offer distinct benefits, the most common approach is to combine both methods. This way, candidates can receive foundational training in an academic program, giving themselves the best chance of securing employment in an organization willing to provide additional training on the job.

Explore other trades with similar paths:

• How to become an electrician in North Carolina

Licensure & Certification Requirements

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) and the Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) are two of the most popular professional bodies offering highly respected and nationally recognized credentials for wind turbine technicians in North Carolina.

Plus, OSHA 30-Hour, GWO BST, and GWO BTT certifications are highly valued for their focus on safety and technical training, particularly for high-risk or international wind energy projects.

Although it is not compulsory, candidates in the state may apply for any of these credentials to enhance their appeal to potential employers and increase their leverage in the employment market. They may also use it to enhance their professional skills and network with other established wind turbine technicians.

Top Wind Turbine Technician Schools in North Carolina

The following are some of the best schools offering top-class wind turbine technology training in North Carolina:

Notable Mentions

Other notable mentions include:

• the College of the Albemarle,
• North Carolina Wind Energy Technology Center of North Carolina State University in Raleigh,
• Fayetteville Technical College and
• the North Carolina Wind Application Center of the Appalachian State University in Boone.

Explore wind turbine technician schools by city:

• Wind turbine technician schools in Charlotte

Salary & Career Outlook

According to Indeed, as an aspiring wind turbine technician in North Carolina, you may look forward to an annual salary of around $48,530. This is the figure most pertinent for an average wind turbine technician in the state.

Naturally, earnings can vary higher or lower than this figure, depending on factors such as the area of specialty and the establishment of employment. The top earners take home an annual average salary of $58,079, while the lowest earn an annual average salary of $40,551.

Experience and location are two other important factors to consider in this regard.

Sorting by location alone, Raleigh is one of the highest-paying cities for wind turbine technicians in North Carolina. Professionals in this field earn an annual average salary of $69,263.

Wind turbine technicians in Wilmington and Charlotte earn annual salaries of $64,760 and $51,835, respectively.

Some employers also pay per diem compensation to wind turbine technicians traveling to remote locations. This adds to the overall yearly salary.