WEBVTT - Winds of Change

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<v Speaker 1>This is on the Job. This season, we're speaking with

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<v Speaker 1>folks who are finding their professional stride in a tumultuous

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<v Speaker 1>job market and learning how to double down on their

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<v Speaker 1>skills and their experience to overcome challenges. We'll bring you

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<v Speaker 1>inspiring stories of people making themselves essential, an important skill

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<v Speaker 1>set in any economy. Well, millions of jobs have been

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<v Speaker 1>put on hold in the wake of COVID nineteen, many

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<v Speaker 1>jobs in the energy sector ever made. All over the planet.

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<v Speaker 1>There are people on the ground who continue to work

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<v Speaker 1>day in and day out to make sure that the

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<v Speaker 1>world keeps running. I spoke to one of those workers

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<v Speaker 1>in Vermont, where wind turbans line the mountain sides and

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<v Speaker 1>power homes all across the state. Okay, opening video from

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<v Speaker 1>a go pro are We're in a machine room growing

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<v Speaker 1>up the ladder. Usually when I've interviewed people about their work,

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<v Speaker 1>I get to go onside and talk to them in

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<v Speaker 1>their environment. But since the pandemic was in full swing,

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<v Speaker 1>I got to see this environment through a GoPro video.

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<v Speaker 1>H Oh wow. Okay, we are on top of the

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<v Speaker 1>turban hooking in a harness. I will say I am

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<v Speaker 1>pretty happy to not be recording on top of a

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<v Speaker 1>wind turban that is literally above the clouds in this video,

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<v Speaker 1>Oh my god, my stomach just got queasy. He's looking

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<v Speaker 1>down the turban and the clouds are passing under beneath.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh my god. I feel like for people who haven't

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<v Speaker 1>like walked up to a turban, you don't realize how

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<v Speaker 1>big they are. That's that's the first thing you get

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<v Speaker 1>from everybody, the first thing since like, oh my yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>they they don't look that big from the highway. It's like, well,

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<v Speaker 1>the highway is a few miles away. This is Jim

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<v Speaker 1>Jim Slicer, site manager for the Chefs and wind Farming

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<v Speaker 1>and Shade from the up. In case you're unfamiliar, the

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<v Speaker 1>wind turbans gym overseas are the tall white turbans you

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<v Speaker 1>might have seen along a coastline or in a valley.

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<v Speaker 1>Gym overseas sixteen turbans in the rural town of Sheffield, Vermont,

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<v Speaker 1>not far from the Canadian border. How tall are the

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<v Speaker 1>turbans that you work on? So the tower height is

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<v Speaker 1>an eighty tower, so about two seventy and then when

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<v Speaker 1>you know blade it's pointing straight up. Take for that

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<v Speaker 1>blades about four wow. And in order to do maintenance.

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<v Speaker 1>You're going right up to the top. Oh you can

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<v Speaker 1>see the other turbans. Wow, they're just poking above the clouds.

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<v Speaker 1>It's just clouds. And then there's big white turbans spinning

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<v Speaker 1>in the distance. They're really majestic. They are. I think

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<v Speaker 1>they're beautiful. I mean allow people to say, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's ruined the view of the monst Us landscape.

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<v Speaker 1>And I get more people to come up here and say,

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<v Speaker 1>I just think they're beautiful looking up at them, I

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<v Speaker 1>think they're great. That is absolutely crazy. You know, here

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<v Speaker 1>we have sixteen Germans. We make forty megawatts, which is

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<v Speaker 1>enough for fourteen to sixteen thousand homes, pretty much generating

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<v Speaker 1>enough power of the entire Northeast Kingdom of you know

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<v Speaker 1>some basically just a few wakers of land that have

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<v Speaker 1>been used. The way a wind turban works is pretty simple.

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<v Speaker 1>The wind blows, the three rotor blades spin and that

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<v Speaker 1>gets converted into electricity. Oh yeah, and like at ten

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<v Speaker 1>mile on our wind and these things will make a

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<v Speaker 1>power and my winds they're max Producing clean renewable energy

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<v Speaker 1>has definitely been politicized over the years. There are plenty

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<v Speaker 1>of people who say that moving towards green energy like

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<v Speaker 1>wind and solar is taking away jobs from work in

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<v Speaker 1>fossil fuels. But in reality, it's just opening up a

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<v Speaker 1>whole new workforce. It's one of the fastest growing careers

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<v Speaker 1>out there, and a great thing for it is it's

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's a blue collar job. Person doesn't have to

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<v Speaker 1>have a college degree. You have mechanical electrical knowledge or

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<v Speaker 1>kron raining like that, you can get your foot in

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<v Speaker 1>the door and perform this job. I asked him what

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<v Speaker 1>a standard work day looks for him, but he says

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<v Speaker 1>that that's not really a thing for this job. And

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<v Speaker 1>that's one of the things I like about this job.

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<v Speaker 1>It's never the same job every day. You're not going

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<v Speaker 1>in bunched the car and doing the exact same thing.

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<v Speaker 1>Jim has a team of three people, and besides maintenance

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<v Speaker 1>on anything the sixteen individual turbans need, their tasks change

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<v Speaker 1>fundamentally based on Vermont's intent seasons. All this to say

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<v Speaker 1>that when you're working a job that depends on the weather,

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<v Speaker 1>it really keeps you on your toes. Standard isn't really

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<v Speaker 1>a word. Jim grew up in Crastbury, Vermont. He was

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<v Speaker 1>an outdoorsy kid had a very similar upbringing to my

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<v Speaker 1>own in Vermont, fishing, riding bikes all summer with friends.

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<v Speaker 1>He played a lot of sports. He later ended up

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<v Speaker 1>joining the military and went into the Air Force, doing

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<v Speaker 1>flight testing, developing and testing our nation's bombers and their weapons. Ah,

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<v Speaker 1>that's why I'll do you have a favorite plane? I

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<v Speaker 1>guess I still to say my my love is to

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<v Speaker 1>be one bomber. I spent a lot of time that one,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's quite a magnificent least. After the military, he

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<v Speaker 1>worked for different contractors. He did radar operation and testing

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<v Speaker 1>for special ops aircraft, and then he did a stint

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<v Speaker 1>at boeling in California. He was living in Hatchby where

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<v Speaker 1>there are thousands of wind turbans, and it really piqued

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<v Speaker 1>his interest. Definitely. I'm a hundred percent of leaver of

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<v Speaker 1>renewable energy. You know, we need to get away from

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<v Speaker 1>fossil fuels, not just you know, wind turbans, but solar, hydro,

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<v Speaker 1>all those things. I think it's it's a it's a

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<v Speaker 1>really neat thing. And then you know, to work three

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<v Speaker 1>ft off the ground and generate this power that just

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<v Speaker 1>from the wind. Still he kept working on planes. He

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<v Speaker 1>and his wife eventually moved back to Vermont, where he

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<v Speaker 1>was working at the Burlington Airport as a technician. But

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<v Speaker 1>three years in he saw that a wind farm was

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<v Speaker 1>being built in nearby Sheffield and was looking for a

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<v Speaker 1>good text. So after twenty five years of working in aviation,

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<v Speaker 1>he decided to wear his options. It was pretty comparable

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<v Speaker 1>and help from that scarre to hide and hadn't been before.

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<v Speaker 1>So I guess I'll find out when I started doing this.

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<v Speaker 1>So I mean the Jim and forty two years of

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<v Speaker 1>age more in Jim Story after the Break. A strong

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<v Speaker 1>work ethic takes pride in a job well done, sweats

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<v Speaker 1>over the details. This is the kind of person you need.

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<v Speaker 1>Express Employment professionals can help. Finding the best people requires

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<v Speaker 1>more than sorting through applications. You need to conduct a

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<v Speaker 1>thorough surge. Express understands what it takes to hire the

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<v Speaker 1>right person. It takes real people, real interviews, discovering the

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<v Speaker 1>talents you need. We find good people matching their skills

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<v Speaker 1>with the right jobs. At Express, we find people for

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<v Speaker 1>jobs and companies of all sizes and industries, from the

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<v Speaker 1>production floor to the front office. Sometimes finding the best

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<v Speaker 1>new employee really is about who you know. Express Nose Jobs.

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<v Speaker 1>Get to know Express go to Express pros dot com

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<v Speaker 1>to find a location near you. Jim became site manager

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<v Speaker 1>for the Sheffield Wind Farm in two thousand fourteen. He

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<v Speaker 1>loves showing off the site, giving tours to schools and tourists.

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<v Speaker 1>He especially likes explaining everything the farm offers to people

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<v Speaker 1>critical of green energy, or people who might think that

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<v Speaker 1>the turbans detract from the landscape. The majority of the

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<v Speaker 1>people that you take up there are usually fifty fifty

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<v Speaker 1>on the fence. They're not really sure do I like

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<v Speaker 1>these or do I not like these? You know, probably

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<v Speaker 1>the pile like best is when you see that white

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<v Speaker 1>bulb founding click on. They're like, uh, I get it. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>these make a lot of sense. I really like these.

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<v Speaker 1>In rural communities like this, all over the country, wind

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<v Speaker 1>energy has been insanely beneficial over the last few decades.

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<v Speaker 1>Jim and I both grew in communities like Sheffield, where

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of multi generational farms are doing everything they

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<v Speaker 1>can to hold on in a rapidly developing world. There's

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of hesitation to give up and sell land

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<v Speaker 1>to developers in places like this because a lot of times,

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<v Speaker 1>that means giving up cultural values and making way for

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<v Speaker 1>newcomers who don't really care about the area. Wind turbans

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<v Speaker 1>haven't popping up all over these rural communities and allowing

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<v Speaker 1>for economical development without all the unwanted change that usually

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<v Speaker 1>comes with it. Farmers who have ample land can invest

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<v Speaker 1>in a wind turban that won't interfere with their crops

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<v Speaker 1>and will be a consistent source of income that they

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<v Speaker 1>can use or sell. Some farmers can even make up

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<v Speaker 1>to fifteen thousand to twenty dollars a year off of

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<v Speaker 1>one turban, precious capital that they wouldn't otherwise have. Schools

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<v Speaker 1>have huge tax incentives to host wind turbans, allowing them

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<v Speaker 1>to upgrade facilities and get kids the resources that they need.

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<v Speaker 1>And in rural communities like this, where those are specifically

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<v Speaker 1>the problems that hit the artist, wind energy is often

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<v Speaker 1>a perfect solution that will keep on giving as long

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<v Speaker 1>as the wind keeps blowing. As towns like Sheffield get

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<v Speaker 1>on board with wind energy all over the US, the

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<v Speaker 1>growth of this industry continues to be a major job creator.

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<v Speaker 1>Right now, over a hundred twenty thousand workers now have

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<v Speaker 1>wind powered careers and With more turbans being built, that

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<v Speaker 1>means more factory work to build them. All. This rapid

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<v Speaker 1>development has made the occupation of wind turbine technician one

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<v Speaker 1>of the two fastest growing jobs in the entire US,

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<v Speaker 1>along with solar installer. On top of that, America's veterans

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<v Speaker 1>play an important role in creating this highly skilled workforce.

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<v Speaker 1>The U s Wind industry employees veterans at a rate

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<v Speaker 1>sixty one above the national average, providing good opportunities for

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<v Speaker 1>men and women who serve our country when they leave

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<v Speaker 1>active duty. All this to say, wind energy has proven

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<v Speaker 1>a stable source of prosperity in place that tend to

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<v Speaker 1>get left behind as the world moves forward. As one

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<v Speaker 1>farming couple and wash Shington State said about their turbans,

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<v Speaker 1>as long as they're turning, we're earning for Jim. The

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<v Speaker 1>wind farm in Sheffield not only accomplishes all of this,

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<v Speaker 1>but it also creates a sort of modern ecosystem between

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<v Speaker 1>locals and wildlife. The entire property is a protected bear habitat,

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<v Speaker 1>so we have wildlife up here. We have bearings, we

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<v Speaker 1>have moose, we have deer, we have everything up here.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know, if it's like a Park. The town

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<v Speaker 1>also gets paid a lot of money each year to

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<v Speaker 1>host the wind farm. That money goes a long way

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<v Speaker 1>and getting resources the town really needs, like equipment for

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<v Speaker 1>fixing roads and power lines. These sixteen wind turbans do

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<v Speaker 1>all this while cooperating with the natural landscape that is

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<v Speaker 1>long defined the culture here. Now I'm proud of what

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<v Speaker 1>we do. It's a good feeling for us. Rowington Vermont

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<v Speaker 1>is a renewable to the city and the power we

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<v Speaker 1>produce here, and they actually purchase power from us, so

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<v Speaker 1>we're part of that renewable portfolio that they have to

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<v Speaker 1>have the bragging rights to have their city renewable. Not

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<v Speaker 1>only did Burlington Vermont reach its goal of being a

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<v Speaker 1>renewable in two thousand fourteen, it was the first city

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<v Speaker 1>in the entire United States to do so. Jim gets

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<v Speaker 1>to be a part of that. And talking to Jim,

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<v Speaker 1>that's the feeling you get that not only does he

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<v Speaker 1>get to do a job that pays well, a job

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<v Speaker 1>that he's great at, but it's also a job that

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<v Speaker 1>sincerely contributes to a more sustainable future. Do you like

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<v Speaker 1>your job? I love it, Yeah, I really do. It's

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<v Speaker 1>different every day and now there's some days you're like,

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<v Speaker 1>oh my gosh, it's four o'clock already. I guess we're

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<v Speaker 1>going home. You know, how do you feel when you're

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<v Speaker 1>on top of a turban at one time a year,

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<v Speaker 1>uh January, when it's twenty below and the winds blowing.

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<v Speaker 1>I think it's the worst damn place in the world.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't want to be there. But now you take

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<v Speaker 1>a nice summer that's like se degrees and a live

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<v Speaker 1>breeze and you can go sit up on top of

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<v Speaker 1>the cell and to have your lunch and have the

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<v Speaker 1>most gorgeous view. It's like you're on top of the world.

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<v Speaker 1>It really is. For On the Job, I'm Otis Gray.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening to On the Job, brought to you

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<v Speaker 1>by Express Employment Professionals. This season of On the Job

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<v Speaker 1>is produced by Audiation and Red Seat Ventures. The episodes

0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:42.319
<v Speaker 1>are written and produced by me Otis Gray. Our executive

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<v Speaker 1>producer is Sandy Smallens. The show was mixed by Matt

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<v Speaker 1>Noble for Audiation Studios at the Loft in Bronxville, New York.

0:12:49.640 --> 0:12:53.080
<v Speaker 1>Music by Blue Dot Sessions. Find us on I Heart

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<v Speaker 1>Radio and Apple Podcasts. If you liked what you heard,

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<v Speaker 1>please consider rating and reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts

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<v Speaker 1>or wherever you listen. We'll see you next time for

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<v Speaker 1>more inspiring stories about making yourself essential as you discover

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<v Speaker 1>your life's work. Audition