With more than 1,300 GW of wind power installed worldwide, the sector has become one of the main drivers of the global energy transition and rural economic revitalization. In this context, EDP, Vestas and the Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE) have successfully completed the sixth edition of the Skills Energy Professionals programme, an initiative designed to train young people from rural areas to work in wind farm operation and maintenance.
More than 100 young people have already benefited from the programme since its launch, and this latest edition has brought together 24 participants from Aragón, Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla La Mancha, reinforcing its commitment to tackling depopulation while creating skilled employment opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
Training talent for wind farm operation and maintenance
The closing ceremony took place at Vestas’ facilities in Viveiro, Lugo, with the participation of institutional representatives and industry leaders. Among them were Mariña Gueimunde, Mayor of Viveiro; Gustavo José Casasola, Territorial Director of the Regional Ministry of Economy and Industry in Lugo; and Juan Antonio Rey, EDP’s Delegate in Galicia.
A roundtable discussion featured Juan Virgilio Márquez, CEO of AEE; Jonathan Lázaro, Head of Service Operations at Vestas; and Alfredo Menéndez, Head of Community Engagement at EDP Spain. All highlighted the strategic role of wind energy as both an economic engine and a source of qualified employment for younger generations.
According to Juan Virgilio Márquez, “the wind sector is preparing a new generation of key professionals for the energy transition. In Spain, projected growth will allow us to exceed 60,000 jobs before 2030. Moreover, wind development in rural areas not only boosts economic activity but also serves as an effective tool to combat depopulation and offer real opportunities to young people.”
Jonathan Lázaro stressed that the energy transition is not only about technology but also about long term operational capability. He underlined the importance of investing in specialised talent to ensure the reliable performance of wind farms, particularly in regions such as Galicia where wind energy plays a direct socioeconomic role.
176 hours of specialised, blended training
Participants received their diplomas after successfully completing 176 hours of blended learning, combining online theoretical modules from AEE’s Wind Farm Operation and Maintenance Technical Course with on site practical training at Vestas’ operation and maintenance centre in Lugo.
The programme also included GWO approved practical training in occupational risk prevention and working at heights in Villalba, enabling participants to work across different types of wind installations. This hands on approach strengthens employability in one of the most dynamic segments of the renewable energy industry, particularly in operation and maintenance, which remains critical as installed capacity continues to grow.
Since its inception, 125 young people have improved their employability through this initiative, positioning wind energy as a key pathway for technical careers linked to aerogenerators, digitalised maintenance strategies and long term asset management.
Driving rural development and climate action
With wind power already covering 24 percent of Spain’s electricity demand and representing 24 percent of installed capacity in the national energy mix, the sector stands as the country’s leading generation technology. Beyond energy production, initiatives like Skills Energy Professionals directly contribute to SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy, by strengthening the workforce required to operate renewable infrastructure, and to SDG 13, Climate Action, by accelerating the deployment and reliability of low carbon technologies.
By focusing on rural territories, the programme transforms wind farms into anchors of local opportunity. Each trained technician represents not only a new skilled job, but also a step toward stabilising population in areas that have long faced demographic decline.
The successful completion of this sixth edition reaffirms the joint commitment of EDP, Vestas and AEE to youth training, fair energy transition and community development. As wind capacity expands and operational demands increase, the question is no longer whether the sector will grow, but how effectively it can continue preparing the professionals who will sustain it over the coming decades.
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