Wind Energy Operations Managers

Employers

There are about 120,000 people employed in the wind energy industry, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Wind energy operations managers work for wind farms, energy companies, utilities, and government agencies. Wind-related projects tend to be most concentrated in the Midwest, Southwest, and Northeast regions of the United States. The top five U.S. states by total installed wind capacity are Texas (30,904 MW), Iowa (10,799 MW), Oklahoma (8,173 MW), Kansas (6,512 MW), and California (5,871 MW). 

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 Wind Energy, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, and Vestas.

Starting Out

Many wind energy operations managers get started in the field through apprenticeships, cooperative work/study programs, or part-time positions. They may start in the field as wind energy technicians. They learn about job openings through career fairs, industry publications, trade associations, 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. Find helpful information about careers in the renewable-energy industry at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Jobs Web page, https://www.energy.gov/eere/education/clean-energy-jobs-and-planning.