The Vocational College Nässjöakademin began offering wind power technician training last semester. However, at the start of the school year, they were far from filling their 25 educational places. Only 16 students started the program, and now only half remain. The principal, Torbjörn Trägårdh, explained that they cannot train as many people as the industry needs, and they worry about how to attract applicants.
Hjalmar Strömerskolan in Strömsund, 90 miles to the north, had to discontinue their wind power technician training this year due to too few applicants. Despite intensive marketing efforts, they still had too many dropouts. Head of administration at Strömsund municipality, Anna Backman Wikström, expressed her disappointment.
Several schools and companies turned to platforms like TikTok and Instagram to promote the profession, especially to young people and women. However, attracting them to work as wind power technicians is described as the industry’s biggest challenge.
When asked why so few want to train as wind power technicians, there are no clear answers. Björn Carlsson, service team manager at ENBW, expressed his uncertainty. The profession is not for everyone, according to Torbjörn Trägårdh at Nässjöakademin. He added that they try to make the profession interesting, but it remains a challenge.
SVT Nyheter accompanied wind power technician Felix Johansson on a working day 100 meters up in the air to give viewers a glimpse of what it’s like to work with wind turbines.
The Vocational College Nässjöakademin started its wind power technician training last semester. Hopes were high, but at the start of school they were far from filling the 25 educational places. Of the 16 who started, only half now remain.
– We cannot train as many people as the industry needs and at the same time we worry about how we will get people to apply for the courses, says principal Torbjörn Trägårdh.
90 miles to the north, at the Hjalmar Strömerskolan in Strömsund, this year they have been forced to discontinue their training as wind power technicians. The applicants were simply too few.
– Despite intensive marketing, we have had too few applicants and too many drop out, explains Anna Backman Wikström, head of administration at Strömsund municipality.
Difficult to reach young women
Several schools and companies have also turned to platforms such as Tiktok and Instagram to promote the profession. Attracting young people, and especially young women, to work as wind power technicians is described by several that SVT Nyheter spoke to as the biggest challenge for the industry.
But why do so few want to train as wind power technicians then? When SVT asks the question, there are no clear answers.
– I can’t think of an answer actually, I don’t know, says Björn Carlsson, service team manager at the wind power company ENBW.
– Yes, it is the 10,000 kroner question. We try to contribute by making the profession interesting, but at the same time it is not a job for everyone, says Torbjörn Trägårdh at Nässjöakademin.
What is it like to work with wind turbines then? Watch when SVT accompanied wind power technician Felix Johansson on a working day 100 meters up in the air in the video above.