Below is the text version for the Wind Career Map.

About This Mapping Tool

This career mapping tool shows examples of the broad diversity of wind energy occupations, provides descriptive detail about the jobs associated with the wind industry and summarizes the training and education that may be necessary for a career in the wind industry.

Maps: Two career maps are available: The “Degreed Careers” map shows the careers available to someone with a bachelor’s degree or higher. The “Vocational Careers” map shows the careers available to someone applying trade school experience in a professional setting.

Sectors:  Each career map arranges wind occupations into five broad categories: Project Development; Component Manufacturing; Construction; Operations; and Education, Training, and Research. Some sectors overlap, and some jobs fall under more than one category.

Skill Levels: These maps also organize jobs into three general skill levels:

  • Vocational Careers
    • Entry Level
      • Apprentice-level or less than a 2-year post-secondary credential
      • 1-3 years of experience.
    • Mid-Level
      • Journey or associate's level
      • 3-5 years of experience.
    • Advanced Level
      • Master craft or bachelor's level and higher
      • 5+ years of experience.
  • Degreed Careers
    • Bachelor’s Degree
      • Four-year undergraduate degree that shows completion of a general education with a focus on a specific major.
      • Roughly 120 semester hours.
      • Opens up a wide range of opportunities, whether in the job market or graduate school.
    • Master’s Degree
      • Advanced, graduate degree that shows a high level of mastery in a particular subject area.
      • Between 30 and 60 credits.  
      • May open up higher paying jobs with more opportunities for professional growth.
    • Ph.D. (also called a “doctoral” or “terminal” degree)
      • Highest degree awarded in most fields.
      • Can lead to greater opportunities for professional growth and higher earning potential.
      • Basic threshold for certain advanced professional roles, including professorship and professional research.

Note that most occupations include a wide range of skill levels and therefore could sit in a higher or lower row (higher or lower on the y-axis) than the job level designated in this map. Continuing education and on-the-job-training are essential for workers in the rapidly evolving wind industry and would likely influence the job level.

This tool maps a broad and representative selection of occupations for which some training in wind-specific skills is required. Not every wind energy related job is listed and not every job listed devotes the majority of its time to wind energy work, but each one plays a critical role in building a safe and robust industry.

All jobs link to the Wind Energy Career Map: Resource List and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Degreed Careers Map

This map shows the careers available to someone with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Most occupations in this map include a wide range of skill levels and therefore could sit in a higher or lower row (higher or lower on the y-axis) than the job level designated in this map. Continuing education and on-the-job training are essential for workers in the rapidly evolving wind industry and would likely influence the job level.

Project Development

Component Manufacturing

Construction

Operations

Education, Training, and Research

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Vocational Careers Map

This map shows the careers available to someone applying trade school experience in a professional setting. Most occupations in this map include a wide range of skill levels and therefore could sit in a higher or lower row (higher or lower on the y-axis) than the job level designated in this map. Continuing education and on-the-job-training are essential for workers in the rapidly evolving wind industry and would likely influence the job level.

All jobs link to the Wind Energy Career Map: Resource List and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Project Development

Component Manufacturing

Construction

Operations

Education, Training, and Research

Back to top