Onshore + Offshore = Our Future

What are the opportunities of offshore wind energy development? What does an offshore wind farm consist of? What career paths can you choose and what competencies will help you join a new sector that supports Poland's energy transformation? Answers to these and other questions were presented to young people from secondary schools in Gdansk during the workshop "Onshore + Offshore = Our Future" organized by Employers of Pomerania, under the patronage of Equinor and Polenergia as part of the Second Flagship Programme "Academy of Marine Competences".

The first day of the workshop took place on April 25 in Gdansk and was attended by a group of students from three technical schools: Conradinum Ship and Technical School, Energy School Complex and Maritime School Complex. The workshops were conducted jointly by Polenergia experts: Magdalena Klera-Nowopolska, Paweł Mawduk and Equinor experts: Dorota Bastrikin and Marek Świerżyński. Their aim was to present the projects of both companies and to provide the maximum amount of knowledge related to the latest technologies used in offshore wind and to showcase the elements of infrastructure that will be built on the Baltic Sea. The students learnt how to shape cooperation with stakeholders and implement projects based on the idea of coexistence, and what’s key, they learnt about possible career paths and professional profiles in various competence areas, which are crucial for the development of the new industry in Poland. Inspiring discussions and a lively Q&A session showed how attractive and interesting the offshore wind energy industry is for young technical school students. The meeting was topped off with a gaming element in the form of an interactive test on the energy transformation and the role of offshore wind energy in building green power in Poland.

Education is an important element of the implementation of one of the five Flagship Programs, included in the Offshore Wind Energy Supply Chain Plan for OWF Baltic II and OWF Baltic III. The second Flagship Programme "Academy of Marine Competence" includes initiatives supporting the education of personnel for the offshore wind energy sector and building the value chain for the region.

Many thanks to the participants and the event host for a dynamic workshop session!