What is the Wind Cross Skill Programme?
Developed in partnership with leading wind industry employers and aligned with National Occupational Standards (NOS), the six-week Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Cross Skill Programme blends ECITB’s high quality technical pathways with Global Wind Organisation’s (GWO) accredited safety and technical training.
The programme builds the specialist capabilities the wind industry needs, from SCADA fundamentals and high-voltage switchgear awareness to hands-on turbine maintenance practices, while ensuring safe working behaviours are embedded throughout.
With turbine site experience and a curriculum shaped by the skills needs of a transitioning UK energy sector, the programme unlocks opportunities for technicians to diversify, progress and thrive in clean energy careers.
On successful completion, learners will be able to safely plan, perform and document wind turbine maintenance activities with additional knowledge, skills and confidence to enable them to work on onshore or offshore wind assets as Wind Turbine Maintenance Technicians (WTMT).
Register interest in attending the Wind Cross Skill Programme
Following two successful pilots, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), in partnership with Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, launched the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Cross Skill Programme in July 2026 to support worker transferability between oil & gas and wind operations and maintenance.
ECITB-approved training providers will shortly be announcing dates to run cohorts in the coming months.
Those interested in attending programmes in 2026/27 can complete this form and they will be contacted by the approved training providers in the region(s) selected once dates are known.
Prerequisite qualifications and competence
To be eligible for the programme, workers must provide proof of ongoing and current technical competence within their primary trade discipline, such as through Connected Competence technical tests. They must also hold relevant qualifications, such as Level 3 NVQ/VQ/SCQF 6 or have completed an apprenticeship in electrical, mechanical or instrument & control engineering/maintenance.
To view the specific tests required for each trade, download our programme leaflet
Vouchers that allow temporary workers to complete Connected Competence free of charge are available.
Visit the Connected Competence website for more information on vouchers
Industry collaboration
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Scottish Government have committed to joint fund the programme through the Transition Training Fund for workers looking to transition their careers from oil and gas into wind.
The Office for Clean Energy Jobs (OCEJ), a dedicated unit within DESNZ, cited the programme as an example of how to pave the way for just transition within its Clean Energy Jobs Plan.
Scottish Government identified the programme as part of the ‘industry and public sector partners commitments’ to delivering priority actions within the Offshore Wind Priorities and Skills Action Plan.
“We must ensure industry has the skilled workforce it needs to deploy to existing oil and gas fields while meeting the growing demand for workers to onshore and offshore wind farms.
“This programme enables the two-way transition of qualified oil and gas technicians into wind and then back again as and when maintenance activity is needed.
“It enables our UK supply chain companies to diversify their energy portfolios and ensure the continuing development of a competent and competitive wind energy supply chain.
“Maintaining the technical skills and behavioural safety of our skilled workers between sectors helps improve safety, workforce mobility and the overall resilience of the industry.”
Andrew Hockey
CEO of the ECITB
Cross skill programme the catalyst for transition into renewables
In May 2025, Niall Gibb completed the Wind Turbine Cross Skill Pilot Programme.
Niall believes the skills developed within oil and gas are vital to the success of offshore wind.
“I’ve been within the oil industry for 12 years. My motivation for joining the programme was to build on my skillset and formally align my oil and gas experience with renewables to contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable energy sector,” he said.
“I realised I already have a lot of the discipline, the safety focus and resilience that the wind industry needs for working in harsh environments in a technical capacity.
“The skills are transferable and I’ve been able to refine them through the structured learning that was provided by the programme.”
Wind Cross Skill Programme training content
The course content has been mapped to GWO’s elements to reduce duplication and to give workers the additional essential skills and knowledge that wind industry employers need.
The programme includes a site visit to ORE Catapult’s Levenmouth demonstration turbine to contextualise the technical programme content inside the nacelle of a wind turbine.
There are three pathways available – electrical, mechanical and instrument & control.
Learners from each of these three trade disciplines will receive ECITB technical training in the corresponding two disciplines to gain an understanding of all elements.
The ECITB technical pathways compliment the GWO elements and enhance the attendees’ current primary trade discipline with additional essential skills and knowledge needed by wind industry employers.
ECITB technical pathways (electrical, mechanical and instrument & control)
CCNSG Safety Passport
GWO Basic Safety Training (BST) – First Aid, Working at Height, Manual Handling, Fire Awareness
GWO Enhanced First Aid
GWO Basic Technical Training (BTT)
GWO Slinger Signaller
GWO Advanced Rescue Training
Energy Institute Wind Turbine Safety Rules Core Course
Onshore and offshore wind industry awareness
Introduction to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
Introduction to High Voltage Switchgear
Condition Monitoring on Wind Turbines
Wind turbine site visit
Optional content
- ECITB MJI10 Mechanical Joint Integrity course and MJI33 – Torque and Tension Wind
- Turbine Bolted Connections (optional for Electrical and I&C Techs)
- ECITB Slinger Banksman
- GWO Sea Survival
Same skills, new horizons: meet the mechanical tech working across the energy transition
Teigan Morrison, a mechanical technician at Wood, says the cross skill programme helped ensure she is equally at home on a gas terminal or the world’s largest wind farm.
After joining Wood in 2020, she completed the mechanical pathway for an ECITB Diploma in Maintaining Engineering Construction Plant and Systems qualification that formed part of her Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship before going on to do a HNC in mechanical engineering.
Teigan was one of the technicians selected for the wind cross skill pilot programme. On completion, she worked on both wind and oil and gas platforms, including the world’s largest offshore wind farm – Dogger Bank.
“For people who’ve only ever known one type of work, it could broaden their perspective to what’s possible. It’s not retraining. It’s taking the existing skills that you have and expanding those,” she said.
Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Cross Skill Programme learning outcomes
The programme enables learners to:
- Understand and explain the considerations involved in preparing maintenance activities and the necessary actions to take after completing maintenance activities.
- Understand the procedures and techniques required to carry out maintenance activities effectively and safely.
- Demonstrate the ability to safely and effectively prepare, perform and correctly conclude and document maintenance activities.
On successful completion of the programme, attendees will receive an ECITB certificate of training and the relevant GWO training record reflected in the GWO Winda Profile.
The programme has been mapped against and aligns with the learning outcomes within the qualification – ITC First Level 3 Award in Safe Working Practice in the Wind Turbine Industry. Candidates will need to produce a portfolio of evidence from the GWO practical elements and be assessed through an ITC First approved training provider.
Wind cross skill programme a springboard to exciting new career
Declan Porter completed the cross skill pilot programme in May 2025. Following the programme, he secured a role with Aurora Energy Services on the Kilgallioch wind farm extension project.
He initially started in the Mechanical Team on pre-assembly before moving onto the Mechanical Completions Team when the first turbine was erected.
Declan says the programme “takes the guess work and what ifs out of the equation and gives you confidence that you will be qualified and ready to walk into your first wind project”.
He added: “The programme gave me opportunities to move into a completely new and exciting industry whilst still having my core trade skills to fall back on if and when required.”
Find out more
Download the Wind Cross Skill Programme leaflet
Find out more about the ECITB’s other wind turbine-related courses and qualifications
For more information please email programmeadmin@ecitb.org.uk
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