Global Wind Organisation (GWO) has reported that the number of training courses fell by 15% in the first six months of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019, as the pandemic created challenges for providers.
GWO’s Training in the Pandemic half year report revealed that activity across its global network of accredited training centres fell to fewer than 1,000 per week between weeks 13-17, from March into April, when normally around 5000 to 6000 GWO courses would be run each week, on average.
However GWO reported that as countries began to emerge from lockdowns at the end of May, activity “rapidly increased”, with June 2020 averaging a 45% increase in demand for courses, compared with the same month in 2019.
GWO chief executive Jakob Lau Holst said: “It was encouraging to see how quickly GWO training providers were able to adapt Covid safety measures, and resume training following lockdown.
“In most cases they have continued this increased activity into Q3.
“Even so, more than 6000 technicians saw their GWO certificates lapse when they were unable to train and our members prioritised the risk of skills fade amongst technicians affected in this way, by developing standards and requirements for virtual classroom training and blended learning solutions with digital elements.
“There are now over 40 training providers certified to provide digital or virtual courses. At the beginning of 2020, there was just one, and this is an immediate effect of the lockdown. Here and now, it means there are more options available should we see a second or third wave of corona. In the longer run, this may cause systemic change to the way our business trains for safety.”
GWO chair Paul Robbins (pictured) added: “The first half of 2020 was the most challenging period many of us has ever experienced and unfortunately it appears for a number of countries, the spread of the virus has increased again.
“However, our commitment to safety is the priority. Technicians will be required to install and maintain our growing wind power infrastructure in spite of many risks posed by Covid-19 and I believe the GWO network is well prepared to support our workforce and ride out the worst effects of any repeat situation this winter.”
As of the end of June the GWO-trained workforce stood at 91,539, with 78,515 (-16%) of courses completed in Europe, 15,319 (+47%) completed in the Americas and 8563 (+10%) completed in Asia-Pacific.