The age of renewable energy has arrived. Countries all over the world are actively promoting the planning and development of offshore wind energy. It’s not a secret that Taiwan is equipped with superior geographical features. The abundant natural resources have attracted many European wind energy developers to set up local branches, fueling the business and employment markets. To facilitate current trends, the Metal Industries Research and Development Centre (MIRDC) and the Ministry of Labor jointly launched the Employment Guidance Program for Offshore Wind Energy and Marine Engineering Projects, which entails a series of industry know-how, skill, and experience-sharing seminars carried out in small classes to help engineers attain international certification. The program has gained widespread recognition since its launch, and enrollment inquiries, particularly out-of-pocket students, are increasing daily as the development of offshore wind energy in Taiwan continues to gain traction.
At present, the second session of trainees have completed the program at the Maritime Technology Innovation Center (MTIC) in Qieding District, Kaohsiung City, and several trainees have joined the relevant industries. In an interview with a graduate working in the offshore wind industry, Yang expressed his thoughts on the program, "I am honored to have been able to participate in the training program hosted by MIRDC. The MTIC had an expert faculty and robust training facilities. I've learned a lot, but my biggest takeaway was the macro-perspectives provided by the program. The program provides people aspiring to make a career in the industry insight into Taiwan's current position in the global supply chain and the types of opportunities available in the future. After almost three weeks of training, you can attain five GWO certificates and have many opportunities to network with industry experts. It is definitely an important window of opportunity into the wind energy industry.”
The MTIC offers training for a variety of GWO certificates. In just three months since opening its doors, the center has received an influx of training requests from various wind energy developers. In collaboration with the Industrial Talent Pilot Program hosted by the Ministry of Labor, the MTIC encourages young, unemployed green-collar professionals to take advantage of this opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills and enhance their competitiveness in this emerging industry. Unemployed young adults of Taiwanese nationality between the ages of 18 and 29 may be eligible for full subsidization for the Employment Guidance Program for Offshore Wind Energy and Marine Engineering Projects. For more information, please contact Mr. Wang, Zhen-Chang, Marketing Manager at Maritime Innovation & Industry Promotion Department, MRIDC (mobile: 0919-828-632; email: gwotraining@mail.mirdc.org.tw)