Devised to provide students with fantastic work placement opportunities, this successful partnership between West College Scotland and Community Windpower Ltd, has seen a total of seven students successfully take part in the programme since the agreement came into play in August 2012.

Last week CWL returned to the College to conduct their next round of student placement interviews in order to identify which students would be selected for the three week placement commencing mid-October.

Ben Fielding, Project Manager at Community Windpower said, “The interviews were opened to students studying HNC Engineering with Renewable Energy. The standard of students interviewed was excellent, making the selection decision much more difficult. Nevertheless, two students were chosen from the eight that we interviewed; thirty-five year old Chris McGowan and twenty-two year old Raymond Cracknell.”

Course lecturer Thomas Haughey, said: “I’m delighted that our partnership with CWL has continued again this year. The valuable knowledge and experience gained through placements like these, coupled with such a strong Engineering course will help our student’s employment prospects within the Energy sector.”

Based at Community Windpower’s office in Frodsham, Cheshire, the placement scheme will provide the students with a broad understanding of the whole onshore wind energy industry and the opportunities for specialism within it. They will also be given an insight into how the company operates and real hands-on experience with successful developers and operators of onshore wind farms.

During the three week placement, the students will spend their time equally between the ‘Projects team’ and Operational/Technical team’ and will be given the opportunity to visit at least one of CWL’s operating wind farms.