The Wind Training Center at the Atlantic Cape Charles Worthington Atlantic City campus will begin offering Global Wind Organization basic safety training classes in April.
Atlantic Cape Community College broke ground on the 1,700-square-foot Wind Training Center in late 2021. The center was funded by a New Jersey Offshore Wind Safety Training Grant.
When work on the center began, the Danish company Orsted was still developing two wind projects off the coasts of Atlantic and Cape May counties. Since then the company has withdrawn from the two projects.
With Orsted no longer a contributor to the state’s wind initiative, Atlantic Shores inherited the pioneer position as the first offshore wind project expected to move to construction. The company’s 1.5 gigawatt wind farm is to be located 9 miles off Atlantic City.
The need for a trained workforce remains a high priority. Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, said the opening of the wind center for classes “will help position New Jersey residents for the thousands of good-paying, skilled offshore wind jobs the industry will generate in the state.”
The basic safety training program consists of four modules preparing students for working at heights, manual handling, first aid and fire awareness. Training is delivered through a combination of theoretical and practical activities. Global Wind Organization training is an internationally recognized credential that is required for individuals working on wind farms at sea.
Atlantic Cape President Barbara Gaba said, “We have worked diligently with industry experts worldwide to ensure that our facility provides the highest quality training program that is aligned with GWO.”
New Jersey had hoped to be further along on its offshore wind agenda until Orsted withdrew from its commitments in October 2023. The opening of the Wind Training Center is another in a series of initiatives meant to reposition New Jersey as a major force in offshore wind.
Those wanting more information on the basic training safety program are encouraged to visit atlantic.edu/windtraining, call 609-343-5655 or email wind@atlanticcape.edu.
