UK: Former Soldier Enters Offshore Wind Industry

After three tours of duty in Iraq, a former soldier is now flying high in a new career in the wind industry thanks to Maersk Training Newcastle.

Joey Callaghan, 28, from Pemmaenmawr in North Wales joined the army at 16 after leaving school with few qualifications. However after seven years service, including three tours of duty in Iraq, Joey felt he had seen enough and left the army to look for a new career. Joey initially went into maritime security but being away from home for nine months of the year was hard for his girlfriend, friends and family.

With a number of friends working in the fast-growing wind industry, Joey knew it was a sector with lots of career opportunities and decided to give it a try. A friend recommended he contact Maersk Training in Newcastle, which specialises in wind, renewable and offshore training and is the only centre in the UK to offer courses approved by the Global Wind Organisation (GWO).

The GWO programme is a globally recognised standard and is often the first step for those wanting a worldwide career in wind power – currently only a few centres globally have GWO approval.

In just two weeks, Joey had completed a suite of specialist wind training courses including electrical awareness, rope access and Siemens wind technician level 2 and 3. With Maersk Training’s help, Joey then applied for a number of related jobs and within just six weeks got his first job working in the wind industry.

Now five months on, Joey is working offshore on a wind turbine and has never been happier.

He said: “Although I had to invest my own money in the training courses, I’ve never looked back and have made that money up, as well as much more, in just four months working in the wind industry. It’s a fantastic career to be in – the opportunities are endless and with great shift patterns I end up spending one week at home out of every three.

 “After having a varied and hard-working career in the armed forces I was unsure what employment I would find in the civilian world. I knew that the wind and renewable industry was expanding fast but with no direct experience or qualifications I didn’t know where to begin. The staff at Maersk Training really helped me by putting together a suite of wind courses which would maximise my chances of employment. Once I completed my courses they even helped suggest companies they knew were recruiting.

 “It only took me a few weeks to get my first job in the wind sector and the fantastic experience I gained meant I could move very quickly into my dream job working on an offshore wind farm.

 “The benefits in the industry are good, you are part of a close team and I am learning and developing my skills every day. Maersk was incredibly helpful and provided me with a superb standard of training. They spent a lot of time going over the little things with me, which has made a huge difference in helping me get into the industry and develop my career quickly. Five months ago I never thought I would be where I am now.”

Alison Isbister from Maersk Training Newcastle, who worked with Joey to help him find his first wind sector job, said: “The global wind industry is experiencing unprecedented growth and there are many resulting skills shortages that need to be plugged. This means the opportunities are endless for both business and individuals, with some people earning salaries of up to £1,500 per week. We are delighted that Joey has been successful in finding a job in the sector and we’re looking forward to helping him progress further in his new career with our wide range of higher level wind courses.”

[mappress]

Press release, October 04, 2012; Image: stirlingcommunications