A new life up on wind turbines in a new country
What is it like to move countries, learn a new language, and retrain on wind turbines as a wind turbine technician? Terry Williams is British has a background in retail and as a gas engineer, and now works for Vestas in Sweden. In this article, Terry describes his career path and the skills he took with him when he transitioned to wind power.
How to transition to wind turbines and see the world
Background
As a child did how things work interest you?
When I was very young, I liked to play with Meccano and Lego sets. I liked to build stuff!
I remember as a child sitting in my grandfather’s garden during the summers and taking apart old electrical items. He used to like to save the screws and some of the parts because he would repair and sell second hand electronics. Of course, this was back in the days when people did repair stuff! So, I guess you could say this is where some of my technical interests stemmed from.
Working in retail
What were the soft skills you took from your time as a Retail Manager and working with the public?
Listening to people; because often people have a point of view and want to be heard. If you can listen and respect other people’s opinions, even when they differ from your own, it’s important.
As well, always do what you say you are going to do!
Lastly, be honest with people because that earns respect.
Working as a gas technician
Why did you decide to move into gas engineering?
I’d spent almost 15 years in retail, and it was a career that I kind of fell into after college. I’d worked my way up within the company after joining as a part-time shop assistant during my studies. After spending a long time in retail, I decided I wanted a change of career.
So, I went back to working part-time and I re-trained as a plumber. I then worked for a while with an old girlfriend’s dad who had his own plumbing company. He would do all the gas work, and I would help with installing the piping etc.
I really liked working with my hands and using tools to build things and install stuff, so I knew I wanted to progress.
But I missed the security and professionalism you get from working for a larger company. I started to look around and I was successful in my application to join British Gas as an apprentice. From here I became a fully qualified gas technician.
How quickly did you learn the skills needed?
The apprenticeship I was doing with BG, allowed me to work with and learn from some really great technicians. By the end of my apprenticeship, I quickly moved into a fully independent role. So I would say at least a couple of years of good quality training to learn the skills needed. But of course, you are always learning new things and updating your skills.
Adjustment to life out in the field
How much of an adjustment was it, from working in a store, to out on the road working alone?
It was very different. I’d gone from having many colleagues working at the same site to being out and about working on my own. But for me I really liked it. I liked it that each day brought new challenges. As well, you met new people and of course you were never really alone, because you had colleagues on the phone and often, we would meet up to help each other. Also, within a larger company you have the support of technical help resources etc. I do not miss spending all day under artificial lighting! Being out and about in all weathers is part of the fun of being on the road. I’m happier in this environment.
Looking back, what advice would you give to someone who has just started to work in the field on their own?
Use the resources available to help you, and do not be scared to ask for help! It can feel overwhelming at first, but you never really start learning until you are out and about doing the job. Slowly but surely, you will become more and more experienced and confident. Then one day you can use your knowledge and experience to help new colleagues in the same situation.
Volunteering
Why did you decide to start working as a special constable?
When I was younger, I was a police cadet, and I’d always thought about becoming a police officer. I looked more into the role of a special constable and what was involved. I decided to apply, and I was successful. I really enjoyed doing the role and you also learn a lot of valuable skills which are transferable into your day job.
Do you have a family member or friend in the police?
Yes, I had family members in the police.
How much did your experience being customer facing in two different industries help you as a special constable? Can you give an example?
As a police officer, you deal with the public in all manner of situations. So, the skills you learn are transferable both ways. But having been a retail manager for several years in a customer facing environment, this gave me a lot more confidence in talking to people and understanding how to communicate effectively with people.
Moving from gas to wood
You then moved to working as a carpenter. What attracted you to this?
My wife is Swedish, and we made the decision to move to Sweden mostly for personal reasons but also for the better quality of life it offered us and our children. Obviously moving countries also meant moving jobs.
Unfortunately, I could not continue working within domestic gas, because Sweden does not use gas like the UK. So, while spending time renovating our new home in Sweden, I contacted a local carpenter to help with some jobs. He saw that I was working on my house and asked me to come and work for him, which was great for me because I found a new job quite quickly. So, you could say I kind of fell into the role. It was a great opportunity for me to learn new skills and help me to integrate into a new country.
Was it easier to learn the skills because you already had practical skills?
I was used to working with tools, with building and installing boilers etc. So, these skills definitely helped.
What sort of projects did you work on?
We did all sorts of projects from kitchen and bathroom renovations, house extensions, decking, installing doors and windows etc. I learned a lot during my time here. But I missed the technical and fault-finding aspect of my previous role with British Gas. As well as the regular training and professional environment.
Moving countries and path to wind turbines
How quickly did you adapt to life in Sweden?
Fairly quickly really. I’d visited Sweden many times before I moved here (meeting my wife’s family etc.), so I had an idea of what to expect.
What/who helped?
Having a Swedish wife really helped😊
What advice would you give to someone else moving countries for work?
Research the cultural differences because they may not be what you expect. Understand that things will be different. But understand what is important to you and your reasons for moving. Doing plenty of research and joining a Facebook group for expats can give you really great advice.
What are the key cultural differences you have observed?
People tend to socialise within their own groups here in Sweden, so as an outsider it can be hard at first to make new friends. But Sweden is a much more family orientated country. It’s not uncommon for parents to share maternity/paternity leave equally between them. I find the work life balance here much better than I had in the UK. Oh, and the traffic is much less than the UK, which is fantastic!
How quickly did you learn Swedish, and how have you continued to learn?
It was a slow start for me because I was home with a newborn child for my first year here. But I joined SFI, which is a free Swedish course for immigrants. This gave me a good base to expand on. It’s never easy to learn a new language in your forties! After SFI I continued to study Swedish. I actually completed my wind training degree in Swedish also! I think it’s important to learn the language of the country you live in. Actually, the hardest part of learning Swedish for me was that the Swedes are so good at speaking English.
Moving from wood to wind turbines
Why did you decide to move to green energy and wind turbines?
While traveling for work I would often drive past wind farms and wind turbines and began to consider the idea of working within wind. As I said earlier, I really missed the technical aspect of my previous career with BG. So, I started to look into the role and what was involved. I realised that a lot of the skills I had as a gas technician were transferable to working on wind turbines. Also, the world that my two young children grow up in is important to me, and so working within the renewables sector really aligned with my personal beliefs and values.
How did you learn the skills needed to work on wind turbines?
To top up my knowledge and skills, I decided to leave the carpentry job and went back to studying. I enrolled onto a wind technician training course (in Swedish!) and from this course I managed to get myself an intern placement within Vestas. From this placement and with my previous experience I was offered a job as a wind turbine technician.
How much did you use the skills you already had?
A lot, as my previous experience from my technical role really prepared me for the role and has given me a great basis to build on.
Working at heights on wind turbines
Can you describe the first time you worked at height?
In the carpentry job we would often work on the rooves of buildings and so I knew heights were not an issue for me. As well, because you are always working to a high degree of safety and using PPE, you feel confident knowing you are working as safely as can be.
How quickly did you become confident?
You work to a very high safety standard, and it’s the number one priority. So, I became confident quite quickly.
What advice would you give someone in their first three months of working at heights?
It’s a well-trained career. Safety is the highest priority! So, follow your training, use your PPE, and work within the rules and regulations.
What has been your most challenging job working at height on wind turbines?
It’s not so much the job, but more the conditions! It can get very cold and very hot working in wind turbines. I can remember one time working in -16 degrees Celsius with cold metal pipes, that was a challenge!
How important is your overall fitness for working on wind turbines?
Very much important! The job requires you to be physically fit and healthy, so you need to look after your fitness. Part of the requirements of the job is to pass a comprehensive fitness test, and then you are regularly re-tested.
Typical week working on Wind Turbines as a Wind Turbine Technician
What’s your typical week on wind turbines like?
The weeks can vary, some weeks you can be in and out of several different wind turbines every day. Other weeks you could have larger jobs that last several days in one turbine. Typically, you receive different orders and prepare parts etc. before then heading out to the wind parks and performing the tasks.
How much of your time is spent ‘in the field’ – working on the wind turbines?
I would say 90% of it really. Apart from mobilising in the morning, the rest of the day is spent on the wind parks. Obviously, there are days when you have meetings and training.
How much of your day is spent on checking data and admin?
Every day! A large part of the job is reporting what you have done, as well as administrative tasks and following rigorous instructions. You have access to various systems to aid fault finding and monitoring of the turbines.
How much travel do you do?
Most of the wind parks and wind turbines I work on are situated quite close to the warehouse. So actually, we do not do a lot of travelling, but sometimes you do need to travel to training courses or to work in other areas.
What are the parts of wind turbines that you work on?
All of it really, except externally on the blades or tower. This is usually done by blade technicians who are qualified to work via rope access externally on the wind turbines.
How do you personally cope with the cold when working?
I do not find it an issue really, as I’m used to the Swedish weather, which gets quite cold in the winter. We have all the appropriate clothing so its not an issue for me. Although the weather can make some work more challenging. And you do need to consider the conditions and be prepared.
Most challenging part of the job
What do you find most challenging about the work?
The weather conditions. The turbines are not built for the comfort of the technicians, they are designed to operate efficiently. And so, this can present challenging working conditions sometimes.
What has been your most difficult job so far?
As I mentioned earlier, probably changing the pipe-set in -16 degrees (It’s the part that transfers electricity and hydraulic oil from the nacelle to the rotating hub) it’s quite a large complex part to replace. And it was extra challenging because it was so cold.
Have you ever arrived on site and found that it’s been much easier than you expected? For example, that you just needed to make a small adjustment.
Yes, this can happen quite often, and its nice because it balances out the more complex jobs.
Becoming a wind turbine technician
What advice would you give to someone who has just started their first job as a wind turbine technician?
Ask many questions when you are working with more experienced colleagues.
Be patient and take the time to learn and understand.
Always have plenty of water with you, and some snacks for the times when jobs take longer than planned. Chocolate can be a great motivator during challenging jobs.
Apart from a strong technical background, what are the three most important skills to have?
The three main things are: strong communication skills, being a team player, and being safety conscious.
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