Campus Normandie Eolien in Fécamp has set a benchmark among students and employees specialising in wind energy. The unique facility on the Descartes-Maupassant college campus has helped make the region’s name as a land of excellence in terms of renewable marine energy training.
The training is great because we have a lot of equipment at our disposal. At the Campus Normandie Éolien, we can work inside a wind turbine, see how big the parts are and practise working at height to see what risks we'll have to face. I'd like to work straight after my BTS, if possible in Normandy. There's no shortage of wind farm projects!
What better way to learn than in the field? Students and apprentices in wind energy have been working on a life-size site at the Descartes-Maupassant college campus in Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, since 2020. The Region has invested 1.8 million EUR in Campus Normandie Eolien and it’s one of the projects in place to fulfil the industry’s recruitment needs. It’s part of the CEINE (Campus International Normand des Énergies or International Normandy Energy Campus).
Campus Normandie Eolien, a unique resource
A 300m2 building on the training site is home to a wind turbine nacelle (supplied by EDF) to teach students how to work in a confined space and at height in a metallic structure. A 20m tall wind turbine tower outside is used to teach emergency evacuation procedures, for example, in the event of a fire. Not many places have this kind of learning resource.
A few places in other regions have a nacelle for training purposes, but none have such a complete site. It's the only facility of its kind in Normandy in a public establishment.
For college students and employees in CPD
Campus Normandie Eolien is primarily for BTS students studying System Maintenance with a specialisation in Wind Energy. Any training in corrective or preventive maintenance takes place at a specific workshop on the college campus, as the site gives students real-life conditions to work in. CPD apprentices can also qualify as Industrial Maintenance Technicians with GRETA Côte Normande (in partnership with Le Havre UIMM), with part of the course taught on campus.
It's a real plus to have the Normandy Wind Energy Campus on site, because it gives you the chance to practise in real-life conditions, with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), so that you can see what your future job will be like. I'd like to go on to do a Renewable and Alternative Energy Systems degree, to become a maintenance technician with some responsibilities. There are lots of opportunities in this sector! Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
The new GWO certification
Lycée Maupassant (in partnership with GRETA Côte Normande, Lycée Anita Conti and PHOWIND) began teaching a course for employees to earn the international Global Wind Organisation (GWO) certification in January 2024. Staff (up to 4 a month) take part in some Basic Safety Training modules at Campus Normandie Eolien (Working at Height, First Aid, Manual Handling). The Fire Awareness module takes place at Lycée Maritime Anita Conti. “The new certification is an asset for onshore and offshore businesses in the industry. Some of them won’t hire you if you don’t have it,” says Johanne Alleaume.
Recruitment: the industry has the wind in its sails
In terms of jobs, Normandy wind energy companies are looking for trained staff. System Maintenance BTS graduates wanting to work as maintenance technicians in the industry are hired as soon as they finish their course.
One of our students who graduated in June 2024 was hired straight away at the Fécamp wind farm maintenance centre. There are lots of opportunities!
The region plays host to several major offshore wind farms in France. With 71 offshore wind turbines, the wind farm in Fécamp was the first to begin operations in May 2024. The offshore wind farm in Calvados (Courseulles-sur-mer, 64 wind turbines) and Dieppe-Le Tréport (62 wind turbines), currently under construction, should launch in 2025 and 2027. There are other projects in the pipeline in Normandy, including two wind farms off the Barfleur coast scheduled for 2030.
With factories setting up here to make blades and nacelles for French wind farms and local maintenance centres, hundreds of jobs have been created in Normandy and local businesses are always looking for more staff. In the long term, a third of all renewable marine energy jobs in France could be based in Normandy.
Thematics
