// IN SHORT

In short: After GWO, turbine manufacturers train you on their own turbines and grade your level, for example Vestas Level D and C, or Siemens Gamesa L1–L4 with a CT sign-off. On top of that, equipment makers require their own short courses, such as Avanti service lift training or SKYLOTEC ActSafe power ascender training. Job ads often ask for these by name, so list them exactly on your CV.

GWO gets you onto a wind farm, but on the job these OEM and equipment trainings matter just as much. Here's what they are, how they work, and how to use them in your career.

GWO vs OEM Training: What's the Difference?

  • GWO trainings are industry standards. They're the same in every certified centre and every company, and they're recorded in your WINDA profile. They cover safety and basic technical skills.
  • OEM trainings are made by the turbine manufacturers for their own turbines. They teach you how to install, service and troubleshoot a specific brand and model, the way that manufacturer wants it done.

GWO is your entry ticket. OEM training is what makes you useful on that manufacturer's turbines, and it's often what job ads actually ask for.

👉 New to GWO? Start with GWO Training: What It Is and Why It Matters

How OEMs Train Their Technicians

Every big manufacturer, including Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, Nordex and ENERCON, runs its own training system. Details differ, but the structure is similar:

  • Training centres where you practise hands-on on real components and turbine mock-ups: hydraulics, electrical cabinets, bolting, troubleshooting.
  • Online learning platforms for the theory, so you can complete parts of the training from home or the site office before the practical part.
  • Levels or grades that show how far you've progressed, from new technician to experienced troubleshooter.
  • Sign-offs on site, where a senior technician or supervisor confirms you can do a task safely on your own.

Typical OEM course topics

Most OEM training paths include:

  • Safety systems: lockout/tagout (LOTO), safe systems of work, risk assessment
  • Company safety rules: often based on, or similar to, the Wind Turbine Safety Rules (WTSR)
  • Turbine platform courses: mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and control systems of a specific turbine model
  • Maintenance procedures: how that manufacturer wants service, inspections and lubrication done
  • Troubleshooting: fault codes, diagnostics and repair, usually at higher levels
  • Specialist courses: high voltage, main component exchange, blade work and so on

👉 More on LOTO: Electrical Safety: Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) & Arc Flash Protection

The Manufacturers' Grades

Each OEM names its levels differently. Here's what you'll most often see in job ads and on site. Manufacturers change their systems from time to time, so treat this as a guide and always check the exact requirements with the employer.

Vestas

Vestas uses letter levels. Level D is the starting level for service technicians, and Level C is the next step up, with higher levels for more advanced and specialist work. You'll often see ads asking for "Vestas Level D technicians" or "Vestas Level C".

Siemens Gamesa (SGRE)

Siemens Gamesa uses numbered levels, often written as L1 to L4. Job ads for experienced Siemens Gamesa technicians frequently ask for "Siemens L4", sometimes together with a CT sign-off (Competent Technician). You may also see SGTT (Siemens Gamesa Technical Training) mentioned as an alternative route.

Nordex

Nordex trains its technicians through the Nordex Academy, with training centres in Germany and Türkiye. It delivers GWO courses as well as its own technical and HSE training for Nordex turbines. Nordex made GWO safety training mandatory for its service technicians in 2023.

ENERCON

ENERCON trains new and experienced technicians in-house, including people with no GWO certificates yet. Its turbines are gearless (direct drive), so its training focuses heavily on electrical and electronic systems.

For Nordex and ENERCON, the internal level names are less visible in public job ads. If you apply to them, ask in the interview how their technician levels work and how fast you can move up.

CT, AT and Other Sign-Offs

Besides course levels, you'll hear about authorisation roles. They describe what you're allowed to do on site, not just what courses you've taken:

  • Competent Technician (CT): trusted to carry out certain tasks safely, often under someone else's permit.
  • Authorised Technician (AT): allowed to take responsibility for safety, for example issuing permits or isolating systems.
  • Senior roles: such as Senior Authorised Person, with wider responsibility.

These roles come from the Wind Turbine Safety Rules (WTSR), used widely in the UK and Ireland, and from manufacturers' own safety rules. A Core WTSR course typically takes one day and is valid for three years. Being appointed CT or AT also depends on your experience and an assessment, not only on the course.

👉 OSHA & Electrical Certifications Explained

Equipment Training: Lifts, Ascenders and Climb Assist

Turbines contain equipment from other makers too, and many of these have their own required training.

Service lifts

Most modern towers have a service lift, and each lift maker has its own user training. Two big names:

  • Avanti: offers online operator courses for its service lift models. For some models, such as the Dolphin/Beluga, the course is mandatory for anyone who operates the lift. Avanti also trains people to install and repair lifts and ladder systems.
  • Tractel: makes service lifts, climb assist, hoists and rescue devices for wind turbines, and provides training for its equipment.

Alongside the maker's course, there's the generic GWO Lift standard (Lift User, plus inspection and installation modules), which covers lifts of all makes.

Power ascenders

A power ascender is a battery-driven winch that can lift you or your equipment up a rope, without ladders or cranes. The best-known is the ActSafe Power Ascender from SKYLOTEC. It's used for rescue, rope access and lifting tools in the tower.

SKYLOTEC's ActSafe courses include:

  • Lifting goods: about half a day
  • Lifting goods and personnel: 1–2 days
  • Instructor courses: 2–3 days

These certificates are valid for 2 years.

Climb assist and other gear

Climb assist systems (from makers like Avanti and Tractel) help take some of your weight when you climb the ladder. You'll also meet rescue kits, fall arrest systems and torque tools, and many of them come with their own short user training. Your employer will usually tell you which ones are required on each site.

👉 Working at Heights: The Safety Mindset You Need 👉 The Tools of the Trade: Inside a Wind Tech's Bag

How to Use OEM and Equipment Training in Your Career

  1. List them on your CV. Write the exact names, like "Vestas Level D" or "Siemens L4, CT sign-off". Recruiters search for these words. Add turbine models you've worked on too.
  2. Keep your own copies. OEM certificates usually sit in the company's own system, not in WINDA. Ask for a copy or a training record before you leave a project or employer.
  3. Watch the expiry dates. Some equipment trainings, like ActSafe, expire after two years. Your WTSR course expires after three years.
  4. Ask before you sign. In the interview, ask which OEM trainings the company will pay for, and how quickly you can move up a level.
  5. Variety pays. Experience on several brands, for example Vestas and Siemens Gamesa, makes you much more attractive to service providers and agencies.

👉 Who hires for which brands: Top Wind Energy Employers in Europe 👉 Write it up properly: CV Writing & Entry-Level Interviews or use our free CV Builder 👉 GWO validity at a glance: GWO Certificates Quick Guide

📬 Browse current wind jobs. Many ads list the exact OEM levels they need.

Manufacturers and equipment makers update their training systems regularly. Always confirm current requirements with your employer or the training provider.