Category: Electrical Safety

STL USA is delighted to be working with George Silliman who is leading technical training for wind technicians. George has been working with STL USA for nearly two years and has worked with the company to develop its wind technician technical training program. Starting with GWO Basic Technical Training STL USA is now adding more platform and job-related training alongside the more safety focussed GWO courses. 

George is well known in the industry having spent 10 years with GE Renewables as the Lead Wind Training Instructor and having a host of in-field experience.

We had a chance to sit down with George and ask him a few questions.

How did you get into wind?

In 2006, the Wind division at GE began a massive hiring campaign and I was intrigued by the opportunities and had many of the technical skills they were looking for at the time. I posted out of generator manufacturing with the permission of my manager and was hired as a Product Service Engineer. I performed a dual role for the first 10 months, helping technicians troubleshoot wind turbines and created a process that helped increase turbine availability from 93% to 98% across our growing fleet. Coming from a blue-collar background, any time I couldn’t help return a unit to service remotely, I would get on a plane or drive to the site and work side by side with the Techs to return the unit to operation. That experience was invaluable to gain the deepest technical knowledge possible and learn how the units worked, but to also gain an appreciation for what the Techs go through on a daily to keep the units running. In 2010, I made the transition to Lead Training Instructor and have loved every moment of my job since.

How long were you in the field?

The first 3 years of my career was spent in and out of the field troubleshooting, servicing, designing aftermarket products and services. After I became an instructor in 2010, I spent nearly every day in a wind turbine at the learning center until mid-2020 making sure they were safe, available, fault free, and ready for the next Instructor to train their students.

What attracted you to teaching technicians?

There is a sense of pride and satisfaction when you can provide a classroom of Technicians with the best information and skills, they need to perform their job safely, effectively, and efficiently. It’s an opportunity to share the knowledge and experience I have with my students, but it’s also a way for me to learn something from them to improve as an Instructor. Teaching has been and always will be a two-way street in my classroom. It’s a win-win.

What were some of the highlights?

Highlights of my teaching career include:
1. Training over 3600+ students in my career with zero injuries and 100% positive feedback
2. Helping a female student of a large organization, climb the ranks within her company from Technician to Site Manager with the best running site in her region to becoming a highly respected regional manager in a male-dominated field.
3. The handshakes, mutual respect, and appreciation from the thousands of students, regardless of their experience in Wind who have approached me after class to say thank you for the valuable information you provided, your teaching style, your patience, and your professionalism.
4. Working with STLUSA to help set up their world-class training facility in Abilene TX in late 2021 with the vision to expand their training capabilities beyond GWO and continue to provide exceptional technical training with some of the most experienced and knowledgeable Instructors in the Wind Industry for the benefit of those working in it.

Why is quality training so important?

Quality technical training leads to a safer working environment, less risk to those performing the work, greater technical knowledge, greater operating efficiency, higher productivity, more asset uptime, less wasteful spending, healthier bottom line, employee retention, and the necessary skills for employees to do their jobs at a higher level.

STL USA are delighted to announce we will soon be launching a range of technical courses for wind technicians. These courses will sit alongside the industry certification we offer in Global Wind Organization and NFPA 70E electrical safety.

All courses will be run from our new state-of-the-art facility in Abilene, Texas.  We will also be moving our GWO Basic Technical Training to the new site and adding GWO BTT Bolt Tightening and GWO BTT Installation modules. This will allow us to deliver a full range of certifications, basic and intermediate level courses for wind technicians.

Whilst it’s fair to say STL USA has been a key partner for GWO safety-oriented courses the addition of wind technician technical training will allow us to offer a rounded solution to our customers looking to train new hires or upskill their existing workforce.

As the market grows and becomes ever more competitive high quality training is a must for companies looking to cement their place in the industry. Technicians are the lifeblood of many in the sector and better trained technicians pay huge dividends through decreased downtime, better safety knowledge and job fulfilment.

The new range of technical courses for wind technicians will be split into beginner, intermediate and advanced courses, focussing on GE platforms: initially with further OEM platforms added later in 2023:

Beginner

• Wind headstart (2 day) -The Wind Start Training Module has been created to teach new hires the core technical fundamentals that every technician should know before breaking the plane of the tower dower. These core technical fundamentals are necessary to ensure their safety and are a key element to their success in the Wind industry.
• GE 1.X/2.X  Basic Training (5 day)
• MCE Up tower troubleshooting/training (Schematic reading, gearbox & generator) (2 days)

Intermediate

• GE 1.X/2.X Enhanced Basic Training (5 day)
• GE 1.X/2.X ESS Converter (4 days)

Advanced

• COMING SOON

Bespoke Training

For either new hire or ongoing training needs. STL USA will work with you to build a bespoke training package for your new hires and your ongoing training needs.

These new courses represent the next step in STL USA’s development and form a core part of our core mission to build the workforce that drives wind forward.. 

We recently took part in a panel discussion at a Cleanpower event, The future workforce. It brought together representatives from the sector including GWO training provider STL USA, GWO, and Texas State Technical College. It was a great opportunity for industry and education to come together and talk about how we will staff the wind sector in the coming years.

But, it also highlighted a key problem, industry and education are not aligned right now and they need to be. Many of the qualifications and certifications required by technicians are not taught in schools but they could be, easily.

Technical colleges in the USA have a responsibility to provide their students with high-quality education that prepares them for successful careers in their chosen fields. In the rapidly-growing wind energy industry, this means ensuring that students have the necessary knowledge and skills to work safely and effectively. One way that technical colleges can achieve this goal is by adopting Global Wind Organization (GWO) certification for their wind energy courses.

GWO certification is a globally recognized mark of quality that is widely recognized in the wind energy industry. Many employers require their employees to hold GWO certification, as it demonstrates that the individual has the necessary knowledge and skills to work safely and effectively in the wind energy industry. Therefore, by incorporating GWO certification into their wind energy courses, technical colleges can provide their students with a competitive advantage in the job market.

But the benefits of GWO for education extend beyond just career prospects. GWO certification covers a wide range of essential skills and knowledge areas for wind energy professionals, including safety training, working at heights, first aid, and fire awareness. By including GWO certification as part of their wind energy curriculum, technical colleges can ensure that their graduates are well-prepared for the challenges and demands of the wind energy industry.

Moreover, GWO for education can help standardize training and certification processes in the wind energy industry. By adopting a common set of standards and guidelines for training and certification, GWO certification can help to improve safety and reduce the risk of accidents and injuries in the wind energy sector. Technical colleges that adopt GWO certification can contribute to this goal, and provide their students with the necessary skills and knowledge to work safely in the industry.

But technical colleges do not have to adopt GWO certification on their own. They can work with a GWO training provider like STL USA, a leading wind energy training organization, to adopt GWO certification for their wind energy courses. To partner with STL USA could not be more easy. STL USA has extensive experience in the wind energy industry and is an authorized GWO training provider. Therefore, by working with STL USA, technical colleges can ensure that their wind energy programs meet the highest standards of quality and relevance.

Working with STL USA to adopt GWO certification can also benefit technical colleges’ reputations and attract more students to their wind energy programs. GWO certification is a mark of quality that is recognized globally, and technical colleges that offer GWO-certified wind energy courses can enhance the reputation of their programs. This, in turn, can attract more students to the program, and the institution can benefit from having a strong wind energy program.

In conclusion, technical colleges in the USA should work with STL USA to adopt GWO certification for their wind energy courses. GWO for education can provide students with a competitive edge in the job market, ensure that they are well-prepared for the demands of the wind energy industry, improve safety, standardize training and certification processes, and enhance the reputation and quality of their wind energy programs. By adopting GWO certification, technical colleges can provide their students with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the rapidly-growing wind energy industry.

About the Global Wind Organisation

The Global Wind Organization (GWO) is an international non-profit organization that provides training and certification programs for professionals working in the wind energy industry. GWO was established in 2009 by leading wind energy companies with the aim of creating a safer and more productive work environment for wind energy professionals.

The organization’s primary mission is to standardize safety training and certification processes in the wind energy industry. The GWO provides a range of safety training modules for wind energy professionals, covering essential topics such as working at heights, first aid, manual handling, and fire awareness. These training modules are designed to meet the highest safety standards and are updated regularly to ensure that they remain relevant and effective.

The GWO’s certification programs are recognized by leading wind energy companies worldwide, and many employers require their employees to hold GWO certification before working on wind energy projects. GWO certification is considered a mark of quality and professionalism in the wind energy industry and is highly valued by employers and wind energy professionals alike.

GWO has a global network of certified training providers, who deliver the organization’s training and certification programs to wind energy professionals worldwide. These training providers must meet strict quality standards and are audited regularly to ensure that they continue to meet the GWO’s requirements.

Overall, the GWO is an essential organization in the wind energy industry, providing standardized safety training and certification programs that help to improve safety, increase productivity, and promote professionalism among wind energy professionals.

About STL USA

STL USA is one of the leading wind technician training providers in North America. Part of the Cresto Group, a network of safety solution businesses, STL USA enjoys an envious position within a global wind focussed alliance of companies. Constant improvement is built into the DNA of both STL USA and the wider group with training, and GWO at the fore of the solutions provided.

STL USA has a long history of working side-by-side with technical colleges. Born out by our relationship with TSTC which has seen us support the implementation of GWO courses into the college’s wind programs. The TSTC wind program is widely recognized as one of the best in the country. The addition of GWO only reinforces this giving graduating students a clear edge in the jobs market.