GE Renewable Energy says its plans to recruit 300 employees at its LM Wind Power wind turbine blade manufacturing site in Cherbourg, France.
Every new hire will go through an intensive training program at the factory’s “Center of Excellence” to learn wind turbine blade manufacturing processes. The expanded production workforce will allow LM Wind Power, a global designer and manufacturer of rotor blades for wind turbines, to meet the growing industry demand for offshore wind equipment.
The factory currently has more than 450 employees – 34% being women. It became the first wind turbine blade manufacturing site in France when it was opened almost three years ago in April 2018. The facility has produced the first offshore wind turbine blade longer than 100 meters, a 107-meter long blade that will be used in GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine. A second 107-meter blade manufacturing mold is currently being installed at the plant.
“The arrival of the second mold within the factory marks an increased activity for LM Wind Power in Cherbourg,” says Florence Martinez Flores, human resources director at LM Wind Power’s Cherbourg manufacturing site. “We are happy to welcome a large wave of new employees, allowing us to participate in social development and create more jobs in the surrounding community but also to bring new skills to the region.”
The Cherbourg team is mostly looking to expand its production workforce, with positions that are open to all profiles and backgrounds. Every new employee will be trained to manufacture wind turbine blades through LM Wind Power’s “Center of Excellence” training program – a six-week theoretical and practical training course which develops the skills and technical expertise required to produce high-quality wind turbine blades. The site will also be looking for production supervisors, quality controllers and maintenance technicians.
Following the training, employees receive a Qualification Certificate for Metallurgy Operations.
