Massachusetts-based Bristol Community College’s National Offshore Wind Institute (NOWI) has entered a global partnership with Maersk Training to prepare students for careers in offshore wind.
“Bristol is proud to partner with globally recognized Maersk Training, whose experience will elevate the college’s leadership in training the workforce needed for the emerging offshore wind industry,” says Laura L. Douglas, president of Bristol Community College.
“This partnership will connect the college’s faculty and staff with industry experts throughout Maersk Training’s global network and will strengthen the development of employment opportunities for Bristol students in the offshore wind supply chain,” she adds.
Maersk Training is part of A.P. Moller – Maersk Group, a company that has been in the U.S. for many years focusing on shipping, ports and logistics. Alex Øbell Nielsen, head of business development at Maersk Training, says the partnership will tap into decades of offshore wind training experience.
“For more than 40 years, Maersk Training has been delivering training to the offshore industries and helping our customers improve safety operational performance. Maersk Training will work closely with Bristol in developing new courses and participating in a close partnership supporting offshore wind in Massachusetts with the skills and competency to work in the industry. We look forward to this long-term partnership,” says Nielsen.
NOWI’s basic safety training modules include the areas of first aid, manual handling, fire awareness, working at heights and sea survival, whereas the basic technical training courses focus on hydraulics, mechanical and electrical concepts regarding offshore wind. The partnership will establish the skills development training portion of NOWI and develop new GWO courses offered by Bristol Community College that are currently tailored to in-demand industry skills and knowledge.
The GWO is a non-profit organization, founded by turbine manufacturers and owner/operators, with the goal of creating a safer, more productive workplace. The GWO Basic Safety Training program (GWO-BST) was created as the safety standard for those working in the wind industry.
In addition, Bristol Community College offers certificate and associate level programs to become an offshore wind power technician. In the programs, students learn aspects of engineering technology such as electrical machinery, fluid systems, materials science and strength of materials, and they gain hands-on experience with assembly, installation, operation and maintenance of wind power systems.
For information NOWI, including information about Bristol’s previous offshore wind industry initiatives, click here.
