I recently met Derrick, who told me he learned about the wind turbine technician profession via the reality television show, “Turbine Cowboys.”
A year ago, when his wife wanted to move closer to her relatives, it meant Derrick faced the challenge of finding a well-paying job to support his family in a small, rural town. As luck would have it, that small town was about to build a wind farm. He decided to become a wind turbine technician, just like the “cowboys” he saw on screen. Now he works at the facility with a dozen others maintaining turbines and generating clean electricity for the state of Texas.
“Had the wind boom not happened we would not have had the opportunity to raise our kids near our family,” said Derrick. “Not only did wind allow my family to thrive, it has given many other local individuals the same opportunity within the communities they were raised.”
Derrick isn’t the only one to benefit from the expansion of wind energy farms and manufacturing.
- Wind energy now employs 88,000 men and women at jobs in all 50 states.
- In 2016, American wind power jobs increased 20 percent over the year before.
- Right now over 21,000 people work in over 500 factories across 43 states.
- A majority of American wind farm components are made right here in the USA.
How you can help create more jobs in wind energy
We want to keep employing more Americans, including those in rural and Rust Belt areas who need help. Our goal is to keep up the job-growth momentum in 2017. That’s why we’re running a petition to congressional leaders asking them to support the stable investment policies we need in 2017 to keep growing renewable energy and creating good jobs. Take a moment to add your name. You’ll join 23,951 other supporters, and counting!
Another way you can help is to make a special year-end donation to Power of Wind of $20, $50 or whatever you can afford to help us advocate for wind energy jobs and keep factories open.
Thank you for supporting renewable wind power!
