Category: STL USA team

Join the STL USA team.

Would you like to join the STL USA team?

We have three opportunities to join the STL USA team. We’re currently recruiting for two trainers and a back office role at STL USA as we continue to grow across the country.

About STL USA

STL USA has been operating in the USA since 2015, with two main training facilities located in Texas and Iowa. Part of the Safety Technology group of companies headquartered in the UK and with operations across Europe, STL USA extends the knowledge and experience built up over 20 years in wind energy delivering training and safety solutions for the largest global companies. STL USA is exclusively focussed on delivering GWO training across a range of standards to technicians working across the country. Thousands of techs have passed through STL USA training courses and the company ambition is to to grow rapidly in the coming years in line with the huge growth the wind sector is experiencing in the USA.

Job description: GWO Training Instructor x2

Location: Texas, flexible

Subject to an initial training period of 2-3 months depending on competency and experience. The training instructor will be expected to deliver company training programmes within the specified training procedures and accredited standards, for GWO. This includes a number of theory, discussion and practical elements across the modules; fire awareness, first aid, manual handling and working at height. The nature of GWO training is very practical and the instructor is therefore required to be able to demonstrate a number of course elements in a simulated wind turbine environment, therefore requiring a level of climbing competency and fitness.

The key tasks include:

Carry out company and Accredited training programmes and provision of training procedures as required.
Complete training documentation and records as required
Develop and improve training equipment and facilities as appropriate in line with the Technical Director.
Maintain training facilities and training equipment
Carry out product inspections, maintenance and re-certification of products.
Assist with the organisation and participation in exhibitions when required
Liaise with partner companies, specialist suppliers and organisations as required.
Implement effective health and safety including, writing, updating and following risk assessments, safe systems of work and company procedures.
Act as Fire Marshalls and First Aiders, and implement the company Health and Safety practices at all times.
Provide effective support and communication to customers and other team members especially internal sales administration, sales and directors.
Maintain company systems and procedures including enquiries, quotations and quality and training procedures. Auditing and review of customer feedback.
Carry out other duties as requested by the company such as site inspections, onsite training, overseas training and audits.

Experience:

The role would suit somebody already working in wind energy, ideally in a supervisory role, safety role or with suitable turbine experience. GWO certifications are an advantage but anyone with a teaching/training background and the relevant working at height experience would be considered. It goes without saying the person must be comfortable working at height.

Salary and benefits: To be discussed (in line with market rates)

Job description: Office Administrator

Location: Texas, flexible

Responsible for the booking, administration and logistics of all training courses. Working with the Lead Trainer and VP USA and other members in the wider group company the Office Administrator is responsible for maintaining administrative policies and procedures, customert service and some basic finance duties.

The key tasks include:

Follow the 3 pillars or responsibility for training Admin, Facility Booking/Trainer Booking/Customer Scheduling and Admin
Upkeep of the USA training calendars
Organising trainer allocation
Ensuring all accredited practices are adhered to in terms of training admin and customer support following course booking, in relation to joining instructions, medical or dietary requirements (following medical guidelines for Doctor sign off if any specific boxes are ticked) and certification on completion of the courses
Data entry and continual communication with Training Manager/Sales Manager/Technical Director on courses and staffing
Liaise with the Inspection Manager on scheduling of trainer training courses from the skills matrix
Assist in audits internal/external bodies.
Raising customer invoices via Quickbooks
Booking and admin of lunches for training candidates and trainers
Booking of trainer accommodation and travel to onsite training
Archive all information necessary for annual auditing process
Audit training folders to ensure all documents for courses are completed, in particular onsite
Carry out other duties as requested by the company

Experience:

The role would suit somebody in an existing administrative position, comfortable multi-tasking with a keen attention to detail.

Salary and benefits: To be discussed (inline with market rate)

If you’re interested in joining us please contact us via the link below or email us at info@safetytechnologyusa.com

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The state of wind energy in lockdown.

With many of us in wind energy in lockdown this weeks post speculates on where we’re heading.

So what is the state of wind energy in lockdown? So let’s get this out of the way the wind is still blowing, turbines are still turning and I have to say that most people I’m speaking with are continuing to operate, albeit under strict distancing guidelines. Of course a lot of us are classed as essential workers so we’ve had to adapt quickly to this situation. For STL USA in particular this has meant moving courses to an onsite format where we can but of course not every customer has access to a turbine or tower to conduct a training course.

On this note I’d like to give a major shout out to the guys at Cotech who’ve let us use their training facility in Houston whilst ours is shut.

The GWO have played their part by quickly developing a new partial online course for Basic Safety training refreshers. This course allows for 100% delivery online over the space of a few days via a virtual classroom format. The course is built around interaction and requires both instructors and technicians to demonstrate a series of actions within the curriculum as well as theory elements to gain the 6 month interim accreditation.

This is an exciting development for STL USA as we’ve been eagerly awaiting the launch of an online, blended course format to broaden our course offering across the USA. We’ve also spent some of our lockdown time accelerating our plans to bring the GWO ART course to the USA. This is something we’re particularly keen to have sit alongside our standard GWO safety training courses.

Our wider outlook for wind is still very positive despite the current lockdown. Wind energy is proving itself to be a cost effective source of energy generation and with numerous new developments in the pipeline including the major offshore farms we still believe well end 2020 in an upbeat mood.

The second half of the year will see us looking further afield from our traditional mid-West base in the “wind corridor”. The next stage of our growth will be focussed on the offshore market, our longer term goal is to begin delivering GWO Sea Survival from a strategically located training center by the end of 2020. This is about 4-6 months behind our initial plan but hey Covid-19 came along so we hope you’ll forgive us.

All that’s left for us to do is say a big thank you to all our people who have worked tirelessly during this difficult time, for our clients patience and to the wider wind community for hanging in there.

If you’d like to talk about how we can support you GWO training get in touch.

Welcome to our new VP Sales & Marketing Ben Dickens

Welcome to our new VP Sales & Marketing Ben Dickens.

As STL USA continues to grow and develop as the USA’s premier provider of GWO accredited training courses we welcome our new VP Sales & Marketing to the company. Ben Dickens has a long career history in enterprise sales and marketing. Working for and with some of the largest global companies. Latterly Ben has worked with a number of fast growing scale-up businesses with responsibility for customers and growth.

Ben’s remit at STL is to continue driving our business in the North America. This will include opening new training centers, developing our core business offer and working closely with our customers big and small to ensure they continue to receive best in market training solutions.

“I’m excited to be joining STL USA at a pivotal pint in their growth. Wind energy in the USA is booming, coupled to the fast pace of adoption of GWO standards in all areas of the sector. These factors combined with STL’s market leading offer put us in prime position to be the trainer of choice across the USA. My job is to ensure that happens and that we continue to deliver a service that sets us apart from our competitors.”

Ben Dickens VP Sales & Marketing

Ben joins us at a time when we are actively opening new training facilities, have recently launched our onsite offer and are cementing our position in the USA market as the leading provider of GWO training.

“We are very pleased that Ben has joined us at this crucial time in STL USA’s growth. He brings a wealth of experience and modern know how to the sales and marketing process however it is his proven ability to build lasting relationships that should see him make a success of this role and in turn successful establish an exciting future for STL USA.”

Bob Dickens, Global Chairman Safety Technology

Please contact us for more information, press enquiries, quotes and images.

We’re hiring! Want to become a GWO trainer?

Want to become a GWO trainer? We have a great opportunity to join the USA’s fastest growing industry, wind energy.

STL USA are recruiting for new GWO trainers as demand for GWO training courses increases. the wind energy sector in the USA is one of the fastest growing markets with double digit job creation happening yearly. Growth is being driven by cities, states and corporations committing to clean energy, fuelling the boom we are at the center of. There’s no better time to become a GWO trainer.

GWO, Global Wind Organisation, is the industry body responsible for setting common safety standards for technicians in the wind energy sector. Created by its members the GWO have two main safety standards which STL train. The Basic Safety Standard and Basic Technical Standard. Course content covers all aspects of safety for onshore and offshore turbines as well as regular refreshers.

STL deliver training from two main hubs, Texas and Iowa. The facilities at each are world class with extensive climbing systems and turbine mock-ups to practice training.

As a course instructor, you will be delivering GWO and other courses to wind energy technicians at Safety Technology USA’s main training locations in Texas and Iowa as well as remotely onsite with clients.

Friendly and outgoing you will lead training courses of small groups of students. Instructing them on the key safety elements required for them to gain GWO accreditation.

Working with the course delivery teams in the USA and at our UK head office you will deliver training courses to the latest standards.

The following qualifications would be desirable

SPRAT or IRATA Level 2
OSHA 10 / OSHA 30
NFPA Fire Fighter Qual
Ergonomics/Material Handling Certified

As would previous teaching experience (military, safety training, climbing or mountaineering). Strong Verbal and written communication skills and proficiency with Microsoft Powerpoint, Excel, Word, Outlook

It’s really important that you can travel as this role requires lots within the USA.

Please forward a full CV along with availability to interview/ start and salary expectations for immediate feedback and a confidential chat.

info@safetytechnologyusa.com

Great feedback on GWO training from STL

We’re always really proud when we receive great feedback on GWO training delivered from our various locations across the USA.

This week we thought we’d share some of the first hand experience and feedback on GWO training that we receive from our course attendees. We’re on target to have training the most technicians in the USA of all the training providers so we do get a lot of feedback. It helps us continually improve our approach and ensures we are delivering the best possible services to our many clients.

The majority of our GWO training takes place at centers in Iowa and Texas. At both venues we have world-class facilities including climbing structures, fall-arrest ladders, evacuation hatches and wind turbine nacelles so we can simulate real turbine situations. What sets our training apart is the quality and experience of our course leaders. Ben and Adrian time and again get mentioned in feedback such as:

“The course was great, we actually got to apply what we learned. The instructors Ben and Adrian made the class very enjoyable”.

“All the subjects covered were good. The instructors were great at explaining all the technical points and made the course very enjoyable”.

It’s consistently receiving great feedback like this that motivates our team to work hard evolving our services, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of GWO training in the USA. For more information on our courses, locations and trainers click below.

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Preview San Diego AWEA Wind Project O&M and Safety Conference

This February sees the luminaries of wind energy come together in San Diego for the AWEA Wind Project O&M and Safety Conference.

We’re excited to be exhibiting at the AWEA Wind Project O&M and Safety Conference taking place on February the 27-28th in the beautiful city of San Diego. The conference is an opportunity for the industry to come together and discuss the unique challenges it faces, meet our friends and colleagues from across the sector and find solutions to the problems we face in areas such as health and safety and workforce training and development.

STL will be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Eon and Vestas as well as myriad other suppliers who are all playing an important role in the amazing sector growth we are seeing across the USA. As the wind energy industry continues to expand, so does the need for an evolving approach to operating the nation’s growing number of wind projects. Luckily it’s a sector high on experience, our own global experience included, and a great opportunity to showcase how we can assist the increasing demands that face all of us if we are to continue the meteoric rise of wind energy.

For STL it’s a chance to highlight our range of GWO training courses that we provide at locations throughout the country. If you are planning on attending come and see us, we can take you through the full range of courses, refreshers and accreditations to ensure you and your team in the field are safe and compliant.

It will also be a chance to meet some of our team including Ben Williams our Technical Director. It’s Ben’s role to head up our training ensuring we maintain both cutting edge facilities and course content. As well as our full range of GWO land based courses we will also be highlighting some of our offshore specialist courses such as survival at sea.

Equipment will also feature, having just launched a new range of rescue kits we have something to cover every emergency no matter how big or small.

One thing you can be assured of is a warm welcome at the STL booth, we know we’ll get one in sunny San Idgeo.

See you there!

If you would like to make an appointment to discuss our training services and safety equipment for the wind energy sector fill in our contact form and we will reserve a mutually convenient time to meet.

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From Canada to New Mexico, STL USA’s Ben Williams cycles for cancer research charity

STL’s very own Ben Williams cycled from Canada to New Mexico raising funds for Cancer research a charity close to his heart.

When Ben Williams, Safety Technology USA’s training director and head of GWO training, walked into the office and said he wanted to take 6 weeks off work to go cycling he received a few quizzical looks from his colleagues. But, after he’d explained he was taking on Tour Divide Ultra-Cycling Challenge and that he was doing it in aid of vital cancer research, the company quickly mobilised efforts to help him on his way.

The Tour Divide Ultra-Cycling Challenge which is described as “the world’s longest and toughest off-pavement cycle route” climbs nearly 200,000 feet – the equivalent of summiting Mount Everest from sea-level seven times. Along the route Ben endured the off-road trails and passes of the Rocky Mountains, gruelling hill climbs, stretches of barren desert and extreme heat as well as the daily physical and mental challenges associated with ultra-mountain biking of this type. Solo and unsupported with just a tent, bike and GPS this complex route inhabited by locals such as grizzly bears and mountain lions, adding another dimension to the daily challenge. Undeterred Ben made the most of this fantastic opportunity.

“What made the whole thing so amazing was the people I met along the way. If it wasn’t for the American people and their kindness the challenge would have been a whole lot harder.”

Ben decided to take part when someone truly dear and amazing to him suffered pain and discomfort on a level he could not comprehend. As a tribute he wanted to put himself through pain and discomfort for about a month to raise funds to continue research and help prevent others from experiencing the same level of pain.

Lynne Eagles, Cancer Research UK’s local fundraising manager for Wales, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Ben has decided to attempt such an incredible and gruelling challenge to raise vital funds for Cancer Research UK.

“Ben had an amazing experience and we can’t thank him enough for his support. We want to wish him the very best for his journey. Cancer Research UK has made enormous progress in the fight against cancer. However, we have only been able to do this thanks to the dedication and commitment of our volunteers and supporters, without whom we would not be able to fund our research.”

Ben was invited to speak by Cancer research about his epic ride at a recent event.

For those who have felt inspired by Ben’s challenge, why not sign up to a cycling challenge of your own? Maybe start with something a little more easy to manage though!!