A new wind training center in Maryland that supports both the offshore wind and land-based industries is open for business after receiving approval from the Global Wind Organization (GWO).
The new purpose-built center has been developed by ARCON Training Center, along with the UK’s leading wind trainer, AIS Training — part of the 3T Energy Group — to support the offshore and onshore wind industry in the United States.
Located at ARCON’s existing Training Facility in Salisbury, Maryland, the center passed the comprehensive GWO audit process and is now approved to offer GWO Basic Safety Training — a mandatory requirement for anyone working in the global wind industry. As well as delivering GWO Working at Height, GWO Manual Handling, GWO Fire Awareness and GWO First Aid, ARCON will offer GWO Sea Survival courses in a short time. Sea survival is the added module required for personnel working offshore.
Significant investment has gone into constructing the new training facility, which incorporates a 24-ft high training tower, climbing and rescue platforms and an open area for manual handling training, a fire awareness training structure and area, as well as newly equipped classrooms, office space and communal areas. These facilities are ideally placed to service wind projects on and off the U.S. East Coast and will enable wind workers to train for the essential skills and required safety training in one place.
AIS Training, which is part of the 3t Energy Group, is the UK’s largest wind training provider, with one in five of the wind industry’s workers choosing to train at its Renewable Energy Training Centers of Excellence in Newcastle and Aberdeen in the UK. Personnel from AIS Training helped to design the new center, develop the course portfolio, train the instructors and supported to successfully obtaining the GWO wind industry accreditation.
Originally planned for April last year, completion of the center has been hampered by the global pandemic but following exceptional teamwork between ARCON and AIS Training, it is now open with full COVID-19-safe measures in place.
Katarina Ennerfelt from ARCON Training Center said: “We are delighted and extremely proud to have gained the highly coveted GWO-approval, which allows us to now offer industry-accredited training for the fast-growing U.S. wind industry for the very first time.
“The growth and positive impact that this opportunity will have for the Eastern Shore of Maryland is limitless. We have always pushed and advocated for jobs and continued education in the trade and labor market and to be part of something that will create thousands of jobs and opportunities for people in the Maryland and Delmarva area is truly an amazing feeling. We have been a proponent of Offshore Wind for years and all the benefits renewable energy will bring not only to the state of Maryland but hopefully as a springboard to the rest of the country.”
Geoff Croft, Head of Renewables Sales for 3t Energy Group companies AIS Training and Survivex, said: “Despite the challenges around the Covid-19 pandemic, we are pleased to see this project finally come to fruition. The offshore wind industry in the United States is growing rapidly with several large offshore wind farms planned and this new Maryland center is ideally placed to support the sector as it grows with highly skilled and competent personnel.”
Paul Knowles, Vice President of Training at 3t Energy Group, said: “We are delighted to have supported our training partner ARCON in the establishment of this new renewables training facility and it is testament to the hard work of our 3t Training Solutions division in supporting the project from inception to successful delivery. We look forward to a long term and fruitful partnership.”
News item from ARCON
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