A program designed to train workers for the booming offshore wind industry is now struggling as project delays and shifting energy priorities create uncertainty. Former Navy and union laborers like one Long Island worker had hoped to return to maritime jobs after earning specialized safety certifications, but industry slowdowns threaten to leave many newly trained workers without opportunities. The training initiative, once positioned to meet growing demand, now confronts a potential mismatch between supply and need as wind projects face postponements. Experts and trainees alike are questioning whether the pipeline of skilled labor will outlast the current wave of construction activity.
BRENTWOOD, N.Y. — A former Navy sailor and union laborer from Local 1298 on Long Island, William “Billy” Bishop jumped at the chance to work on the water again when he learned two years ago about job opportunities on offshore wind construction projects. After earning a safety certification from the National Offshore Wind Training Center […] The post Offshore wind job training built for a boom is facing down a bust appeared first on The Hechinger Report.
