SARETEC is pleased to report on the first Wind Turbine Service Technician (WTST) programme to be offered in South Africa.
Due to the centres close involvement with the development of the WTST curriculum via merSETA and the Quality Counsel of Trades and Occupations (QCTO) process, merSETA awarded a grant to pilot the first WTST programme. The purpose of this grant is to proof the curriculum, which has a strong focus on industry demands and report on its suitability and practicality.
After an industry recruitment call and extensive screening process was undertaken, 11 suitable candidates were selected to undertake this South African first and one of a kind training for a 7 month period. Candidates were selected from a broad base of occupations, backgrounds and experience, with the purpose to see how different occupational backgrounds and experience deal with the demands of this career. A heavy emphasis was placed on selecting an initial group that could rely on their experience to constructively critique the training.
After 3 months of training we are happy to report that the programme is doing well and that many candidates are exceeding expectations.