Choose Your Way to Instructor Development

Every day, all over the world over  2,900 GWO instructors deliver safety and technical training. Keeping fresh and engaged isn’t always easy, but moment by moment, GWO instructors keep on making a difference. The wind industry needs many, many more of these moments: first by encouraging new talent to become wind technicians, but also, by developing more and also better, instructors to train this talent. Securing ways of encouraging this was the drive of GWO’s 18-month long project that culminated in December 2023 with the release of GWO’s Instructor Qualification Standard (IQS) and updating the corresponding Requirements for Training document. Together this pair outline a range of alternatives to help instructors, at all stage in their careers, self-select from the matrix of professional development, on the job experience and GWO training course curriculums available across the world.

Your Choice- Entry Level Instructors

GWO offer two pathways to initial instructor education, the classic, ‘POCD’ method, typically offered by larger instructor employers, and the new Instructor Qualification Process (IQP). Which route works best for an individual depends on their circumstances.  See GWO's Requirements for Training document for more information, but this short guide shows where IQP is especially helpful.

Your Choice- Experienced Instructors

For experienced instructors, investing in further training can be a big decision especially  for freelance instructors where employer support may not always be there. GWO’s Instructor Qualification Standard recommends a range of different trainings that are becoming increasing available through the GWO training provider network.  As ever, professional development can come from many sources and individual instructors should always consider their specific strengths and weaknesses when making development decisions. For example, GWO recommends instructors supplement formal courses with onsite experience in wind turbine environments to see industry developments for themselves. To help decide if an IQS course is right for you try the following quick quiz.

Your Choice – Expert Instructors

Highly experience GWO instructors may like to consider taking a more leading role in instructor development by considering GWO IQTT and begin developing their colleagues or peers.

The opportunity for instructor training and development naturally lies in a matrix of professional development, on the job experience and specific training courses. GWO’s role in this mix is to prime the sector to expand its competencies through specific interventions.  See GWO's Instructor zone, Instructor Qualification Standard and Requirements for Training for more about just some of the choices available. Whichever route you take to improve your instructor competencies the choice remains yours.

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