Last week saw Irish Minister, Simon Coveney, visit Letterkenny Institute of Technology’s (LYIT) Killybegs Campus, to mark the dramatic developments in Wind Energy safety training by the college and their training partners Safety Technology Ltd.
During the visit Coveney, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, recognised the public private partnership that had been developed between LYIT and Safety Technology to enhance the wind safety programmes that have now been accredited by RenewableUK and the Global Wind Organisation (GWO).
The Minister suggested that the model being rolled out by LYIT, Donegal County Council and industry was one that he would like to see replicated in other regions.
LYIT and Safety Technology Ltd entered into a strategic agreement to work together to supply RenewableUK (RUK) and Global Wind Organisation (GWO) approved wind safety training from the Wind Energy Centre in Killybegs last year.
Managing Director of Safety Technology, Bob Dickens, said of the new programme: “It is extremely encouraging to find such strong support from the Government and the County and the very high levels of motivation and commitment from the leaders of LYIT to bring about this partnership in such a short time.”
The LYIT Wind Energy Centre at Killybegs was audited and approved on the 15th April by RUK, and as a result LYIT will be the only location in Ireland with the required technology and expertise to deliver RUK/GWO approved safety training courses within its Wind Turbine Technician programme.