- Ken was working at Costco and decided to go back to community college to become a wind turbine tech.
- He now earns $27 an hour and visits locations throughout the US and Canada.
- Wind turbine service technician is one of the fastest growing jobs in the US.
Ken was in his early twenties and working at Costco when he decided to return to community college.
“I wasn’t happy where I was and I wanted more in my life,” said the 28-year-old, whose name and current employer are being withheld by Insider.
After reading an article about how wind turbine technicians don’t need much education, he became interested. His education in electromechanical technology helped him land a job in the field. It is one of the fastest-growing occupations in the US, and its share of employment is projected to grow 68.2 percent from 6,900 in 2020 to 11,700 in 2030.
Ken grew up in a small town in Washington, but now “he can see the rest of the country.” He did boarding training in New Mexico and has since worked at stations in Texas, Wyoming, Illinois, Arkansas and Oklahoma as well as Ontario, Canada.
Traveling to different job sites means that Ken is paid for room and board. After two years on the job, he recently received a promotion from $24 to $27 an hour. Between his hourly rate, per diem overtime and overtime, he takes in about $60,000 a year, according to documents seen by Insider.
“One of the reasons I wanted to get into power generation, not just wind turbines, is because I see the light of where our world is and we always need electricity and where electricity is needed. The future will change as our society changes,” he said.
Visiting the country and meeting new people for work
A workday for Ken is typically 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., similar to what another wind tech previously told Insider’s Dominick Reuter.
“On a good day, you’re usually working at 3 or 4 p.m. On a really bad day, you might be there until 11 p.m. — you might have to work 18 hours straight,” Andrew Slate told Reuters.
Ken’s duties range from on-site support to routine maintenance such as replacing oil filters or measuring torque and tightening structural bolts. The technician’s job includes electrical and mechanical troubleshooting, which includes replacing damaged parts.
However, Kane said the work is not year-round. After being given, he sees the slow months, he tries to save as much money as possible while working. He also tries to work for six weeks and then take a week off from traveling. Aside from being able to travel, one of his jobs is that Positive Ken meets new people.
“Working in the same place, seeing the same faces day in and day out can get a little, I guess you could say the same thing — at least for me,” he said.
Ken also enjoys being able to balance work and life.
Because when I’m at home, my mind, body, and soul are at home and don’t want anything to do with work. “And then when I get out of that hotel or motel and work, I’m 100 percent at work.”
The job, says Ken, isn’t for everyone. “It takes a certain mindset to be comfortable being away from your family for long periods of time,” he said.
One negative for Ken involves sometimes staying in “bottom of the barrel” positions as he tries to maximize his daily amount to pocket the leftovers.
Going to work means knowing where to stay – and sometimes not even knowing how long to stay at one site. Ken must find lodging himself, which are typically motels, hotels, and Airbnbs that allow long-term renters. Some technicians prefer to stay in an RV, he said. Sometimes, he said, technicians all stay together in the same hotel and car pool.
Working hundreds of feet from the ground
One interesting piece of work, says Ken, who likes heights, is the “relatively small” area in the center of the tower, which is the nose cone between the wind turbines. He likes to stand at the center, between the pieces and take in the view when he is hundreds of meters underground.
“I can work on all the major parts at the top of the tower, and I can work at the bottom of the tower. [on] All the main parts and electrical cabinets are in there,” he said.
Courtesy of Ken
In one state, he inspected what he called “a compound where the turbine parts, all the blades, all the main tower parts, the generators were basically assembled and laid out in this empty space.”
“And they sat there for about five years and one of my jobs was to go through and inspect and take pictures and file all the documents,” he said.
In another, he worked as a LOTO Supervisor or Lockout/Tagout, going to the tower electrical panel, flipping the switch, putting a lock on it, tagging it and adding his name and number, “This panel will be locked out” to keep people safe.
Working with electricity and moving away from the ground can be dangerous. Insider’s Reuters reports that a wind turbine service technician is one of the most dangerous jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says it has one of the “highest rates of all occupational injuries and illnesses.”
Considering the risk, Kane said in an interview before the raise that he wishes the hourly rate were higher, but the travel allowance makes up the difference.
All in all, Ken is proud of his position.
“We as a society are trying to move away from coal and oil for our energy generation, and to be able to be part of a movement like this and be part of the solution is definitely a proud moment for me,” he said.
With that, he said, he had “officially” started his career.
“Working at Costco was a great job,” he said. “But working as a wind technician is a career move.”
