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Summary

The Uniper Engineering Academy operates a four-year apprenticeship scheme that is delivered by Uniper to train technicians for the power, renewables, utility and heavy industry sectors. The programme is currently delivered through an existing apprenticeship framework. However, this is now aligned with the government’s energy and utility Maintenance & Operation Engineering Technicians (MOET) apprenticeship standard and as of 2017, it will be supported by the Apprenticeship Levy.

Through an analysis of the growing fleet of offshore wind farms in E.ON’s portfolio, the company identified a need to more than double the headcount of trained technicians over the next four years. In response to this, E.ON and the Uniper Engineering Academy have collaborated to tailor the scheme in order to deliver a sustainable pipeline of technicians with offshore wind knowledge and site-based experience.

The offshore wind apprenticeship scheme has been designed to equip prospective technicians with the necessary technical knowledge and practical skills, as well as supporting their integration into the wider E.ON team. E.ON believes that this programme will deliver a sustainable pipeline of technically-capableworkers required to support the growing operations and maintenance (O&M) requirements of theiroffshore wind fleet.

Lessons learned

With the offshore wind apprenticeship scheme now in its third year, the management team from the Uniper Engineering Academy and E.ON identified the following lessons learned:

• The application and assessment window should be timed carefully to catch promising candidates early, but avoid interviews and assessments coinciding with school exam periods.

• The Engineering Academy’s centralised structure is a key aspect of its success.• Targeted advertising in the offshore wind farm’s local area is important in attracting applicants.• A focus on the wellbeing of apprentices is appreciated by those coming through the Engineering

Academy. Apprentices not only learn the technical skills necessary to maintain wind turbines at sea, but they also mature as individuals and successfully integrate into the wider team at E.ON.

• Sending apprentices to be based near the Engineering Academy in Nottingham during training helps build the expectation that technicians need to be mobile.

Offshore Wind Engineering Apprenticeships E.ON and Uniper Engineering Academy’s role in nurturing the next generation of

offshore wind technicians

Conaill Soraghan and Sally Shenton | March 2017 | CS-0014

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Introduction

The Uniper Engineering Academy is part of Uniper Technologies Ltd, formerly E.ON Technologies Ltd. It provides multidisciplinary engineering and technical services to the energy and heavy industry sectors. One of its core offerings is an apprenticeship scheme delivered for multiple utility customers. This is delivered from its training facility, located next to Uniper’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station near Nottingham.

E.ON recently identified a lack of technical resource available to support the operation of its growing offshore wind fleet. This case study examines how Uniper Engineering Academy has tailored its apprenticeship scheme to deliver a sustainable pipeline of technically-capable employees, ready for a career in offshore wind.

E.ON currently owns and operates four offshore wind farms in UK waters with the combined installed capacity of 457MW: Blyth Offshore Demonstrator, the UK’s first offshore wind farm, commissioned in December 2000, Scroby Sands, commissioned in December 2004, Robin Rigg, commissioned in April 2010, and Humber Gateway, commissioned in May 2015.

E.ON is also a partner in the 630MW London Array, which became fully operational in 2013, and the 400MW Rampion project, which is due to be completed in 2018.

Figure 1: Locations of the Uniper Engineering Academy and E.ON’s UK Offshore Wind Fleet

E.ON requires technicians to fill O&M roles that will involve tasks such as wind turbine service and reactive troubleshooting. These tasks require strong practical skills, a sound knowledge of wind farm technology, and the ability to travel to offshore wind farms and carry out physically-demanding maintenance onsite.

The UK is one of the world’s leaders in the deployment of offshore wind, with over 50% of the world’s operational offshore wind capacity installed in UK waters. However, the technology expertise is dominated by northern European countries – mainly due to the turbine design hubs in Denmark and Germany. Because of this, apprentices travel to Denmark to undertake turbine-specific technical training at a specialist centre run by the turbine manufacturer.

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The upskilling of local technicians to work at sites presents a real opportunity for the UK to benefit from the operational expertise that is now growing at UK offshore wind farms.

1 Apprenticeship standard for a maintenance and operations engineering technician - via UK Government.

Figure 2: A technician’s view from the top of an offshore wind turbine

Incentivising companies to train the necessary workforce to capitalise on industrial opportunities like this is a major challenge. In 2015, the Richard Review was designed to challenge whether UK apprenticeships are meeting the needs of employers. This resulted in the formation of a set of broad standard occupational profiles and a range of standardised job titles. This included an occupational profile for roles within the power sector, the MOET position, and an associated standard job description1. These employer-designed standards will replace existing frameworks, and will be clear and concise. From 2017, as many apprenticeship starts as possible will be based on the new standards.

Another major outcome of the Richard Review was the creation of the Apprenticeship Levy: a tax on all companies with a salary bill exceeding £3million. As of 2017, any company meeting the criteria must pay 0.5% of the portion of the salary bill that exceeds the £3million threshold. This money is put into an account that can only be used for training apprentices.

The challenge

The UK offshore wind sector is expanding rapidly, with the use of mixed teams of technicians (including up to 50% employed by the wind farm owner) and the growing industry trend for owner/operators to take O&M in-house in the post-warranty period to minimise costs. There is also growing pressure on owner/operators to source and retain employees with the necessary technical capability to operate and maintain offshore wind assets.

E.ON has forecast a steady growth in the number of technicians required over the next four years as illustrated in Figure 3. In 2014, E.ON employed seven technicians across its UK onshore and offshore wind business. This increased to 24 in 2015 as Robin Rigg came out of warranty and

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Humber Gateway moved into its operational phase. In 2016 the figure was 36, and is expected to more than double over the next four years as Humber Gateway comes out of warranty and Rampion comes into operation.

Figure 3: Projected number of offshore wind technicians that will be required by E.ON

A wind farm operator looking to hire an offshore wind technician has, effectively, only two options: attract a qualified technician from another project or turbine manufacturer, or develop the necessary workforce internally. The former is unsustainable within a rapidly growing sector, while the latter has potential benefits in terms of longevity and minimising costs. E.ON is proactively pursuing the strategy of developing an internal workforce and the training of technicians is a central part of this approach. E.ON and the Uniper Engineering Academy have worked together to tailor the apprenticeship programme in order to provide a sustainable pipeline of qualified technicians to support its offshore wind operations.

Offshore wind O&M depends on staff with a diverse mix of capabilities and characteristics. First and foremost, sufficient technical aptitude is required to solve technological or operational problems in small, remote teams, and hands-on engineering ability is required to handle tools and implement solutions. Furthermore, the best technicians must be comfortable working in the offshore environment, and be capable of undertaking physically-demanding work while working within the wind turbine nacelle, which can be up to 100m above sea level. They need to have a proactive approach to safety and be prepared to mobilise to work at various offshore wind sites. This broad skillset is unlikely to be covered completely in general college or university engineering courses, and many of the necessary skills are developed only through exposure to the challenges and pressures of the offshore environment.

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The approach

Engineering Academy

The Engineering Academy programme is a four-year apprenticeship scheme that is delivered by Uniper to train technicians for the power, renewables, utility and heavy industry sectors. The programme is currently delivered through an existing apprenticeship framework. This programme will, however, be aligned with the government’s new Maintenance & Operations Engineering Technician (MOET) apprenticeship Standard, and as of May 2017 will be eligible for the Apprenticeship Levy.

In response to E.ON’s requirement to increase its headcount of trained technicians over the next four years, E.ON and the Engineering Academy have tailored the programme to deliver a sustainable pipeline of technicians with offshore wind knowledge and site-based experience. In particular, additional modules covering hydraulics have been included, along with turbine-specific technical training.

Applicant requirements

Candidates interested in the offshore wind apprenticeship must have at least three GCSEs at grade C or higher, which aligns to both the current apprenticeship framework and the future MOET standard entry requirements. Pete Andrews, E.ON Plant Manager at the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, explained that the company is currently seeking applicants that are passionate about offshore

Figure 4: An apprentice at work in the Engineering Academy workshop

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wind power, safety-focused, adventurous in spirit, comfortable working offshore and at height, are self-motivated, and mature enough to manage difficult circumstances.

The entry assessment involves submission of a CV and an online application form, followed by a basic online psychometric test. Finally, in addition to an interview, applicants must also complete a mechanical and electrical practical assessment, which involves using tools in a workshop and wiring a circuit.

At the time of writing this study, applications are open via the E.ON careers page for candidates looking to start in September 2017.

Apprenticeship framework

The apprenticeship begins each September and lasts four years. The framework of the programme is illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Framework of the Engineering Academy programme

BTEC and NVQ

BTEC stands for the Business and Technology Education Council. BTECs are specialist work-related qualifications that combine practical learning with subject and theory

content.

NVQ stands for National Vocational Qualification. The NVQ is a work-based qualification that recognises the skills

and knowledge a person needs to do a job. The candidate needs to demonstrate and prove their competency in their

chosen role or career path.

Year one is spent establishing the necessary mechanical and electrical engineering principles through the BTEC qualification taught by Derby College, and enhanced courses involving hands-on practical training. Candidates spend the majority of their time in the Engineering Academy and have 10 weeks exposure to an offshore wind site.

Year two sees the completion of the BTEC qualification and the beginning of the NVQ Level 3 qualification. Candidates spend 75% of their time at the Engineering Academy and the

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remaining time is spent on site visits and wind turbine training with a manufacturer in Denmark. Apprentices must design and complete a project as part of the BTEC: for example, one apprentice previously identified hatch operation and potential manual handling as a safety risk and their project is now exploring options for automating this.

By year three, the apprentices will spend 100% of their time at an offshore site. This practical experience provides the necessary evidence to progress the NVQ Level 3, and by this point the apprentices are treated as an integral part of the team of offshore wind farm technicians. Year four is similar in scope to year three, with the apprentices working at the wind farm for 100% of their time. Year four ends with the completion and submission of the NVQ Level 3 portfolio.

Figure 6: An E.ON apprentice visiting an offshore wind farm

Throughout the apprenticeship there are individual progress reviews quarterly and at the end of each year to identify any technical or behavioural issues and ensure the apprentices are getting the most value from the scheme. Wind farm site managers are fully involved with progress reviews.

Apprenticeship disciplines

To get an idea of the technical areas that apprentices are exposed to over the four-year programme, the disciplines are provided in Figure 7. The wind technician apprenticeship is built upon the core content of the Electrical Control and Instrumentation stream with some amendments to make it specific to the wind sector.

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Qualifications

The Engineering Academy Apprenticeship is a Level 3 programme which includes BTEC Diploma and NVQ Diploma qualifications. The scheme is accredited by both the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). Consequently, apprentices benefit from shorter application forms and no interview to achieve their Engineering Technician (EngTech) status. All apprentices are encouraged to apply to become professionally registered as anEngTech with the IET and all membership and assessment fees are currently covered by E.ON.

On completion of the apprenticeship, the technicians can be supported by E.ON to complete further qualifications such as a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND).

In addition to the recognised qualifications, apprentices earn around £13,000 in the first year, rising to £24,000 in the final year.

The apprenticeship experience

The offshore wind apprenticeship scheme has been designed to equip aspiring technicians with the necessary technical knowledge and practical ability, and also integrate them into the wider E.ON team. Throughout the four-year programme, development and wellbeing of the apprentices is at the very core.

Typically, a class of approximately 25 will begin the apprenticeship in September, a handful of whom will be on the scheme tailored for offshore technicians. To date, the retention rate of the offshore technician-specific track has been excellent, with no apprentices dropping out of the scheme.

Figure 7: Technical disciplines involved in the Engineering Academy programme

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The apprentices live as a community. Each is provided with full board accommodation consisting of a private bedroom and shared kitchen and recreational areas.

All technical learning courses are delivered on site at the Engineering Academy with college qualifications run by Derby College. In year one, all apprentices receive general engineering BTEC classes together as a group. The offshore wind technicians will also receive additional enhanced practical courses onsite at the Engineering Academy.

There is a dedicated apprenticeship management team responsible for apprentice welfare, scheme coordination and assessment. This team provides information, advice and guidance on anything from physical and mental health to employability skills. Apprentices are provided with active professional development with periodic reviews and are encouraged to work towards EngTech status.

Each apprentice is allocated a wellbeing officer for guidance regarding the Engineering Academy facility and to support them living away from home (often for the first time), and a wind farm site-based mentor to support with any issues at the wind farm.

The apprenticeship has been designed to focus on providing practical experience through mechanical and electrical training, and familiarising apprentices with the offshore wind farm early in their development. In addition to the core technical wind turbine training, apprentices also receive practical training in confined spaces, sea survival, working at height, basic health and safety, fire awareness and first aid.

There are also visits to locations such as Uniper’s Power Engineering Services in Birmingham and regular "Toolbox Talks" from engineers with years of experience in the field.

Figure 8: Apprentices training at the Engineering Academy

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Results

The Engineering Academy has consistently produced capable technicians who have a strong grounding and are able to step up into roles of responsibility such as Team Leader. Many current employees within E.ON’s engineering businesses, from all levels of the organisational hierarchy, are products of the Engineering Academy and its predecessor apprenticeships, including over 50% of the current management team from E.ON’s UK offshore fleet.

To date, E.ON has had exceptionally high apprenticeship completion rates with 100% of graduating apprentices moving into permanent roles within its business.

E.ON believes that the offshore wind-specific apprenticeship has been a success to date for a variety of reasons. It received 550 applications for the six spaces available in the September 2016 intake of offshore wind apprentices and was very impressed with the calibre of applicants. The initiative has been running for two years now and the current year two apprentices have so far integrated very well at site and have been impressed with the impact and applicability of their chosen BTEC projects.

The introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy could make it feasible for E.ON to put more apprentices through the Engineering Academy. From September 2017, the apprenticeship will be aligned with the new MOET standard which carries a funding cap of £27,000. This will be used toward the overall cost of the apprenticeship, covering the majority of the training costs for the apprenticeship and minimising costs to E.ON.

Effectively, E.ON benefits from a relatively fixed cost of training apprentices independent of the number taken on-board.

E.ON believes this programme will deliver a sustainable pipeline of technically-capable technicians and engineers required to support the O&M of their offshore wind fleet.

E.ON also believes that it is through apprenticeships, such as the one delivered by the Uniper Engineering Academy, that valuable O&M skills can be captured and developed for the next generation of engineers entering the UK workforce. Additionally, it provides an appealing route into the offshore wind sector for aspiring local engineers and those seeking a career change.

The following quotes from current apprentices reveal the value they are getting from the programme.

Alex Reah (Year one) – “I’m both proud and excited to be involved in the Rampion project. I believe renewables are a vital part in our commitment to reduce climate change and it’s something I’ve always personally supported. To be a part of one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world based off the coast of my home town is a privilege.”

Tony Walker (Year two) – “I’ve enjoyed all courses during my apprenticeship so far. If I had to highlight some parts of my apprenticeship that have been the most enjoyable, I would say it was my

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first time getting up on a wind turbine: performing various tasks and getting a feel for what my job will entail. My trip out to Denmark was a great experience. I was taught by Vestas, learning directly about various practical and written tasks such as servicing, and finding documents to be able to perform these tasks. The courses at the Academy that I have enjoyed the most would have to be pipe work, machining and electrical principles.”

James McMillan (Year one) – “I’m looking forward to joining the Rampion team because it allows me to play a part in the future of energy while learning exciting new things. For all this to be based around the idea of how things work, and making things work, is a rare opportunity; it is something I personally find extremely interesting. Also, it’s something you can see the results of: every time I see a light on, in the not-too-distant future, I will be able to think that however small, I may have played a part in making that work.”

Lessons learned

Having run the offshore wind apprenticeship scheme for two years now, the management team from Uniper’s Engineering Academy and E.ON identified the following lessons learned:

• The enthusiasm to join the renewables industry is incredible. “We were worried that apprentices graduating as offshore wind technicians would be attracted to other industries such as oiland gas,” says Chris Coates, Customer Account and Support Manager at Uniper. “But what we observe is that the reverse is true. The underpinning knowledge and skills gained from the programme provides a fantastic platform to a wide range of future career opportunities within the industry.”

• Plan the application assessment outside of school exam periods. “We made an error with timing in the first year and attendance at our assessment days was understandably low,” says Pete Andrews, Rampion Plant Manager at E.ON.

• The centralised nature of the Engineering Academy is a key aspect of its success. “Bringing apprentices through the programme in a cohort fashion, delivering all teaching onsite at the Academy and providing full board accommodation fosters a strong sense of community in the apprentices, and facilitates valuable cross-discipline knowledge sharing,” says Rebecca Luckman, Pathway and Professional Development Manager at Uniper.

• It is important to target the advertising campaign locally to where the technicians will ultimately be based. E.ON are seeking technicians for the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm and by year three of the scheme, apprentices will be expected to base themselves near Brighton. Therefore, sourcing apprentices who already know the area is advised. Going forward, E.ON will increase its engagement with schools in the locality of offshore sites.

• Keeping close involvement with apprentices pays off. A focus on the wellbeing of apprentices is appreciated by those coming through the Engineering Academy. They not only learn the technical skills necessary to maintain wind turbines at sea, but they also mature as individuals and successfully integrate into the wider team at E.ON.

• Sending apprentices to be based in Nottingham during the Engineering Academy’s training helps build the expectation that technicians need to be mobile. This exposes the apprentices to the concept of travelling for work and is helping to develop a team of mobile technicians.

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Appendices

Recommended reading

Apprenticeship standard for a maintenance & operations engineering technician (via UK Government)

Author profiles

Contributors

Pete Andrews, Rampion Plant Manager. Pete has been with E.ON since 2005 and has worked on the Rampion project since 2013, providing operational input into the wind farm’s development, construction, and preparation for site operations.

Steve Swain, Rampion Operation Co-ordinator. Steve has been with E.ON since 1993, and previously worked as Assistant Operations Manager at London Array.

Chris Coates, Customer Support and Requirements Manager. Chris manages external customers for the Uniper training schemes.

Rebecca Luckman, Pathways and Professional Development Manager. Rebecca manages Uniper’s Engineering Professional Development, Graduate and Apprenticeship development programmes.

Conaill Soraghan is a Project Engineer at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult. He has a background in applied mathematics and completed a PhD in wind turbine design. Conaill’s main area of interest is the management and optimisation of operational assets and he has extensive experience in the design and development of benchmarking systems and data/knowledge sharing for the offshore wind industry.

Sally Shenton is the Managing Director of the offshore wind O&M consultancy Generating Better. Prior to this, she held the position of Operations Manager for various offshore wind farms.

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About the O&M Case Studies series

This is one in a series of offshore wind O&M-focused case studies, supported by ORE Catapult’s O&M forum and funded by The Crown Estate and the Offshore Wind Programme Board. These studies aim to highlight game-changing O&M projects, and promote the dissemination of knowledge among the offshore wind O&M community.

Disclaimer

While the information contained in this report has been prepared and collated in good faith, ORE Catapult makes no representation or warranty (express or implied) as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein nor shall be liable for any loss or damage resultant from reliance on same.

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