New career as a Wind turbine technician

[WTFields]

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I have just been accepted on a Wind turbine technician course at a local college. The job really appeals to me but I don't have a background in electrical engineering and have no qualifications in Maths or Physics. My question is - is an electrical background / Maths & Physics essential or they something I could pick up as the course progresses?

 

[Darkwood]

Welcome to the forum

 

[WTFields]

Many thanks darkwood.

 

[Spoon]

Welcome mate.
Back in my day the courses used to specify what other subjects and levels were needed to do the course. Don't they do that now?

 

[DuaneMHunt1976]

Why I told my college i was Dyslexic i had to do a Maths test, i did try and point out i had problems reading/writing not with maths, Having done GCSE, A-Level and with the OU Math

also had a guy in the 2nd year figure out that U=IR you can change it so I=U/R and R=U/I
P=IU

guessing you should do some trig and such tho in the course.. Find a Maths Nerd and Attach yourself to him as a Friend.

 

[YoungBart]

When I did my apprenticeship the people who hadn't got GCSE's in Maths, ICT, English had to complete a 'Key Skills' course in each. to gain a basic understanding.
Some of the maths can be quite tricky, But if you can take stuff like that in quite easily then you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[WTFields]

Yup, they specified Maths and Physics, none of which I have but I still got in following an assessment.

 

[WTFields]

Is core maths 3 the equivalent to "Key skills"?

 

[snowhead]

I would have thought the main skills required for a W-T worker are;

Zero fear of heights,
Ability to keep working in wet and windy conditions,
Being able to sit around for hours or days waiting for the weather conditions to drop to acceptable levels.

Any other skill / qualification / experience is a bonus.

Maths would be useful when abseiling down a blade to clean it, to know how far it is to the ground..

 

[telectrix]

also for calculating the length of bungeee cord needed for sunday relaxation.

 

[PEG]

Why I told my college i was Dyslexic i had to do a Maths test, i did try and point out i had problems reading/writing not with maths, Having done GCSE, A-Level and with the OU Math

also had a guy in the 2nd year figure out that U=IR you can change it so I=U/R and R=U/I
P=IU

guessing you should do some trig and such tho in the course.. Find a Maths Nerd and Attach yourself to him as a Friend.

...This was a policy which turned pear-shaped for the nerd,in "Officer and a Gentleman"...

I would be extremely surprised if a genuine job position of "technician",never mind "engineer",did not require a thorough knowledge of maths and physics.

I have worked in this field,and have encountered "technicians",in title only,who had specific,restricted task responsibility,with calculations and oversight,devolved to others.

I suppose,if you are investing time and hope in such a course,the minimum investigation should include the specific content,and the present companies requirement of candidates with such qualifications.

Right from the piling/foundations,through cabling,erection,loadings from weather,vibration,age,the generating and control,maintenance...even counting the supporters and protesters at the potential new site church hall...you need mathematics! :stooge_curly:

 

[bridav]

If you are doing a course within the college I would stick it out to see what they are going to teach you first! The engineering and design of a wind turbine would be done by others whereas the maintenance and upkeep of such turbine would be looked after by the technicians and possibly commissioning of newer turbines!

Also worth noting that a wind turbine isn't about electrical, it will have mechanical elements such as gearboxes and instruments connected to a controller of some sorts for controlling and monitoring the turbine. Wish you all the best on your course works and to your future, who knows you may innovate the next big thing....!

 

[YoungBart]

Is core maths 3 the equivalent to "Key skills"?

It could well be, When I was at college I hadn't long since finished my GCSE's so I Never really stuck around for the key skills lessons. They are very basic, And anymore detailed maths (formula's, transposing etc) was taught during the actual electrical side of the course, Which I assume it would be on your course.
It may be an idea to ring the college and ask them.