System One Opens its Renewable Energy Training Center

System One has officially opened its Renewable Energy Training Center (RETC) in Houston, TX. The center is a fully functioning, 5-star rated training facility that provides a Global Wind Organisation (GWO) certified curriculum and additional specialized training.

The U.S. leads the world in the amount of wind-generated electricity, creating a high demand for wind energy and turbine jobs. System One designed the RETC to address the critical need for high-quality, accessible training to support wind turbine operations and other related renewable energy skills by producing fully certified field technicians. In addition, its adaptive courses and certifications meet industry safety and training requirements.

Tony Robinette, Director for Renewable Energy in Houston, and System One have been in the wind operations industry for more than 15 years. Currently, his group deploys hundreds of field technicians across the U.S. and internationally, including countries like Brazil, Canada, and Mexico.

When asked how the industry has evolved over the years, Robinette claimed that a lot has changed since what he calls the “cowboy days,” from 1-megawatt turbines in 2007 to 4- and 5- ones we are seeing on land today. In the beginning, keeping up with the ever-evolving, rapidly changing technology was challenging, and there were limited standards. Today, set standards are in place, causing a significant impact on the industry.

The massive challenge is finding a skilled and certified workforce. There is a critical need for high-quality, capable field technicians worldwide. Companies are fighting over techs and inflating pay rates and sign-on bonuses. System One saw this challenge for its clients and developed a solution: the RETC.

With the RETC, System One trains and develops its talent pool and does not have to worry about wait times for training or limited class sizes. Additionally, they now spend one-on-one time with their technicians and get them fully vetted, trained, and prepared quickly to work in the wind turbine sector.

The training center is GWO-certified, the most prevalent certification in the industry. The Global Wind Organization is a nonprofit group of leading turbine manufacturers. They set the standard for basic safety training, including First Aid, Manual Handling, Fire Awareness, and Working from Heights.

Mark Pauley, Quality and Engineering Manager, wears many hats to support the RETC. He created the curriculum for the facility. “The facility offers real-life training experience, including having the trainees hanging in the air from harnesses. And their enthusiasm is contagious,” explains Pauley. “They are taught to trust their safety gear and not panic in the event of a mishap.”

The center focuses on more than just wind tech training. Trainers continuously adapt and build curriculums to fit all renewable energy company needs, from solar to electric vehicle charging station repairs.

System One’s RETC provides an environment that fosters more significant connections between renewable energy employers, trainers, and job seekers, allowing an effective way to meet the ever-changing industry demands. The training is diversified, and the RETC adapts its courses and certifications to meet the safety and training requirements of the renewable energy industry.

Whether you’re a company that is seeking trained technicians or you’re someone who is looking to switch industries and see the world, System One’s RETC is the place for you.