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Orsted, a leading offshore wind energy company in the United States, has launched a new job readiness program called Wind Power Ready to provide career opportunities in clean energy to individuals from underserved communities.
The program will partner with local organizations near Orsted’s offshore wind facilities across the country and will train individuals to become wind farm technicians on Orsted projects.
The program has been funded through grants from Orsted, the New Jersey Wind Institute for Innovation and Training, the Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Participants will receive hands-on and practical training and will be paid for their time while learning the skills and experience needed to work on an offshore wind farm.
Orsted has set a goal to hire at least 40% of the Ocean Wind 1 offshore wind project technician workforce from the training program. The company is developing six offshore wind farms that are set to create 5 GW of renewable energy – enough to power nearly 4 million homes.
The Wind Power Ready program is a step towards addressing historical inequalities by investing in and training people from communities near Orsted’s operations and maintenance facilities.