OPITO launches new High Voltage qualifications to meet growing industry demand
OPITO has introduced a progressive framework of industry‑recognised training designed to develop some of the most vital specialist electrical skills required for the energy transition.
As global energy systems diversify and wind power continues to expand, employers face a growing challenge: a shortage of highly skilled personnel capable of operating, maintaining and controlling increasingly complex electrical infrastructure driven by rising high‑voltage requirements.
To help address this, OPITO has launched a suite of High Voltage qualifications that provide clear, standardised training certificates and a structured learning pathway for these critical skills.
The skills gap holding back high‑voltage capability
OPITO’s decision to develop High Voltage qualifications reflects significant changes across the energy sector. Rising electricity demand and the shift towards higher‑capacity, higher‑voltage networks mean engineers are now required to work with greater electrical loads – and more complex switching operations – than ever before.
As the operating environment becomes more demanding, employers are competing for a limited pool of high‑voltage technicians and experienced control engineers.
This challenge is compounded by the absence of an industry‑accepted qualification. Without one, experienced personnel often need to repeat training or complete bespoke programmes when moving between organisations, limiting workforce mobility and increasing employer costs.
These factors highlighted the need for an industry‑recognised, globally applicable qualification framework that enables personnel to transfer easily between organisations and OEMs for these specialised roles.
In response, OPITO has collaborated with industry experts to develop a standardised suite of High Voltage qualifications that will build the electrical expertise required to support the energy transition for decades to come.
OPITO’s High Voltage qualifications: what employers and learners can expect
OPITO’s High Voltage qualifications form a structured learning programme for developing specialist high‑voltage competence.
Each qualification represents around 280 guided learning hours. All learners begin with the High Voltage Training Certificate and, depending on their role, progress to either the Advanced Training Certificate or the Control Engineer Training Certificate.
“As learners move through the qualifications, the scenarios they face become progressively more complex.
They start with core tasks involving a single turbine on a wind farm, such as performing isolations, interfacing with network operations and applying switching programmes. They then move on to tasks that involve deeper planning, coordination and decision‑making with the network operator.”
OPITO’s High Voltage qualifications sit at SCQF Levels 7 and 8, reflecting the complexity of advanced technical programmes. They are ideally suited to experienced electrical technicians ready to move into high‑voltage specialist positions.
Creating a standardised, industry‑led framework for high‑voltage competence
Developed through industry collaboration and informed by foresight work from ORE Catapult, the qualifications share a consistent technical foundation:
- Underpinned by the European Standard EN 50110 for the operation of electrical installations
- Aligned with the Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) standard from the Energy Networks Association (ENA)
- Supported by formal SCQF credit rating, giving learners recognised credit points that support long‑term career development and lifelong learning
While each certificate stands alone, the qualifications build progressively from authorised person to senior authorised person and ultimately to control engineer.
“These qualifications address the specific skills shortage in specialised high‑voltage operations. They align the industry around a consistent approach and support the wider need for a skilled high‑voltage workforce, particularly within the wind sector.”
A future‑ready benchmark for building high‑voltage capability
With the launch of these High Voltage qualifications, OPITO is providing employers with something the energy transition urgently requires: a globally applicable, industry‑recognised pathway for high‑voltage specialisation.
For experienced technicians, the qualifications offer transformative career progression into some of the most technically demanding roles in the energy sector.
For the wider industry, OPITO’s progressive framework represents a significant step towards the safe, consistent and scalable high‑voltage capability needed to power the energy systems of the future.
Looking ahead, OPITO remains committed to diversifying its offerings as global safety‑critical systems evolve.
“OPITO will continue to support the future of the energy transition with industry‑recognised qualifications and standards that ensure the workforce is ready for the challenges ahead.”
To learn more, please visit: OPITO Training Certificate: High Voltage – OPITO
