Key Takeaways:

  • Young people drawn to a career in renewables as entry-level salaries hover at $50,000
  • “Virtually all companies are hiring” – as 99% of jobs are in rural regions
  • Tariffs on China and/or Mexico could dampen outlook

Recruitment for wind industry jobs is booming at high schools and local colleges nationwide, as young people sign up in droves for careers in project planning, construction, manufacturing, and supply chain operations across the burgeoning U.S. wind sector. Wind energy jobs trends upwards by 8% and 8,500 jobs were added last year. The wind industry’s popularity as a job draw is clear—especially with entry-level technicians able to earn $50,000 on average right out of the gate.

Wind Industry is Hiring

“Virtually all our companies are hiring,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association. “We are looking for folks that want to build a career, because the men and women who are servicing a wind farm—that wind farm will be there for the next 30 years.” More than 99% of wind energy jobs are based in rural parts of the country where employment has been scarce, especially for younger members of the job market.


Impact of Tariffs on Wind Energy Jobs Trends:

Employing around 114,000 full-time workers, the U.S. wind industry isn’t slowing down in hiring any time soon. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that wind turbine technicians will be America’s second-fastest growing occupation for the next seven years and will double in size by 2026. Some in the industry are concerned that tariffs on Chinese imports, and new duties from Mexico, might dampen this growth. “We are very concerned about the impact of tariffs on jobs—if the tariffs increase, as the president is proposing, that will either further reduce our growth or could at some point lead to a decline in the number of jobs in the wind industry,” said Kiernan.

However, these fears aren’t slowing the flood of corporate investment and have yet to impact the number of workers moving into the U.S. wind sector. Companies are actively recruiting people from a wide variety of backgrounds and from all walks of life to become wind technicians—a career path which doesn’t require a four-year degree.

What We’re Reading: “US Wind Energy Industry Is Booming, But Tariffs Post a Threat,” as published by CNBC.