Wind Energy Engineers

Employers

The U.S. wind industry employs more than 131,000 people, according to the American Clean Power Association. Different regions of the United States are windier than others, which is why wind-related projects tend to be most concentrated in the Midwest, Southwest, and Northeast regions of the United States. Wind-related projects tend to be most concentrated in Texas, other western states such as California, Colorado, Kansas, North Dakota, and Oklahoma; the Pacific Northwest (especially Oregon); the Midwest (especially Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota); and the Mid-Atlantic.

There are more than 500 wind-related manufacturing facilities in the United States. Much wind turbine manufacturing is located in the Midwest and Southeast. Large manufacturers include GE Vernova, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, and Vestas.  

Starting Out

Many wind energy engineers get started in the field through internships, cooperative work/study programs, or part-time positions. They learn about job openings through trade associations, industry publications, career fairs, and networking events. They also get job-search help from their school's career services office and by looking for job listings on Web sites such as Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, and SimplyHired, among others.