Scotland’s offshore wind ambitions could deliver major economic benefits, but a shortage of skilled workers risks slowing progress, according to Ayrshire College.
The college is stepping up investment in training and infrastructure to help meet growing demand, as the sector expands rapidly in support of net zero targets. With the potential to generate more than 40GW of offshore wind power, much of it from floating turbines, Scotland is seen as a global leader in waiting.
Alistair Rodgers, Assistant Principal at Ayrshire College, said the challenge now is ensuring the workforce can keep pace. “Offshore wind has really come to the fore in the past two or three years,” he said, pointing to increased government backing, including funding for skills development.
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Ayrshire College has used part of that funding to establish the Scottish Wind Technician Education Centre (SWiTEC), aimed at delivering specialist training and building long-term capacity in the sector. The initiative includes international collaboration, notably a partnership with a Norwegian provider to offer Global Wind Organisation-accredited courses.
“These are considered to be the industry’s gold standard. We’re currently the only Scottish partner in that network,” Rodgers said.
The training covers core engineering alongside essential safety requirements such as sea survival and working at height.
Rodgers said the centre is designed to support both new entrants and workers transitioning from industries such as oil and gas. “This isn’t a short-term project. We’re talking about infrastructure and skills that will be needed for decades.”
Demand is expected to grow significantly as offshore developments move towards construction and operation stages.
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