Offshore wind jobs come in all shapes and sizes. A recent report identified 74 different occupations necessary for the work of building and operating an offshore wind farm, including welders, pipefitters, engineers, ship captains, painters, and iron workers. Maryland’s wind projects are expected to create thousands of jobs. In 2017, the Maryland When the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits (ORECs) to MarWin I and Skipjack 1 and estimated the projects would create 4,997 new direct jobs. In 2020, the agency estimated the Momentum Wind and Skipjack 2 projects would create an additional 10,000 direct jobs. Some jobs will be short-term, such as construction jobs for new facilities or port upgrades, but others will last upwards of two decades as offshore wind projects require routine maintenance to stay operational.
Several Maryland organizations offer training courses for skills or certifications required to work in the industry, such as welding training, specialized certifications to work on an offshore wind turbine, and maritime operation training.
