Page 29: of Marine News Magazine (February 2023)

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Seafarers International Union and have expressed concerns that it could prove to be a bottleneck for training the workforce.” NREL suggests that “efforts should be made to ensure programs can be de- veloped and certi? ed in a timely manner to meet demand without compromising quality.”

NREL’s gap analysis concludes with ? ve recommenda- tions to help expand the OSW workforce. • Recommendation 1: Build consensus around the roles and requirements needed for an offshore wind energy workforce, and clearly communicate those roles and requirements to all stakeholders.

• Recommendation 2: Continue to conduct de- tailed assessments of existing programs, trainings, and workers to identify gaps in training, skills, education, or experience. While many land and sea tasks may be similar “working offshore may not be for everyone.” • Recommendation 3: Prioritize the most im- mediate workforce needs for training alignment, ex- pansion, and development.

• Recommendation 4: Document existing pro- gram offerings and coordinate the development and expansion of programs to ensure these efforts are im- plemented for the most needed programs and in the most relevant locations.

• Recommendation 5: Encourage collaboration between offshore wind workforce stakeholders to create a diverse, equitable pipeline for future workforce needs.

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