Students at the Maritime School Complex in Darłowo now have a new facility where they can gain knowledge and skills to prepare them for careers in the offshore wind sector. The Interactive Education Centre was officially opened at the school on 23 October. The launch coincides with preparations for the commercial operation of Poland’s first offshore wind farm, Baltic Power, a joint project by ORLEN and Northland Power.

The modern teaching facility was developed as part of the “Inspired by the Wind” project, funded by the ORLEN Foundation for Pomerania and Baltic Power, Poland’s first offshore wind farm. Together, they allocated PLN 185,000 to the initiative.

Work on the facility began in 2023, when Baltic Power was making its final investment decision and moving from the planning stage into construction. Today, all 76 turbines and offshore substations are in place in the Baltic Sea, cable installation work is nearing completion and the turbines are being commissioned. In July 2026, the wind farm supplied its first electricity to the national grid and is scheduled to begin full commercial operation in early 2027.

The operational phase will involve many years of daily work at sea and onshore. The wind farm will need to be serviced, monitored and supported by logistics operations. This will require turbine technicians, electrical infrastructure specialists, service vessel crews, offshore operations coordinators and logistics professionals. The same skills will be needed for subsequent offshore wind projects that are under construction or in preparation. These are precisely the skills that the new teaching facility in Darłowo will help develop.

“When we first started discussing this teaching facility, nothing was happening offshore yet. Today, the Baltic Power wind farm is generating electricity and will begin full commercial operation in a few months. Operation means decades of day-to-day work, and that requires skilled people. That is why this school’s profile is so important to us – not only for Baltic Power, but also for the next wind farms that are being built and planned. Our contribution to the project goes beyond equipping the classroom with modern multimedia technology. We want this space to become a venue for regular meetings and workshops with industry experts, who will inspire young people to pursue careers in offshore wind and show them the available career paths,” says Krzysztof Bukowski, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Relations at Baltic Power.

A facility unique in Poland

Equipping the classroom is the first step. The centre features computers, an interactive display, a projector and teaching materials related to offshore wind. It will be used not only for lessons, but also for workshops, lectures and meetings with offshore wind professionals and university lecturers.

The Maritime School Complex in Darłowo is unique in Poland and is also the country’s oldest maritime school. For decades, it has trained future seafarers and maritime industry specialists. Its graduates have worked aboard ships, in ports and in maritime sector companies. Today, offshore wind is being added to these career paths.

Location is also important. Darłowo lies on the boundary between the Pomeranian and West Pomeranian Voivodeships. This means the school’s graduates can find employment on projects along the entire Polish coast. The school has been cooperating with the offshore wind sector for several years and is well acquainted with its needs. Its curriculum focuses on both technical knowledge and industry-specific English. This is the primary working language on offshore wind projects, from safety briefings to technical documentation.

“We have been involved in projects related to the offshore wind industry for several years. We are looking for ways to help our graduates enter the labour market and equip them with the right skills. We are considering introducing a specialisation within the ship's mechanical engineering technician course. As part of it, students will gain qualifications related to offshore,” says Magdalena Miszke, Headteacher of the Maritime School Complex in Darłowo.

According to estimates by the Polish Wind Energy Association, offshore wind investments in Poland could create more than 11,000 jobs in coastal regions in the coming years. Over the longer term, taking into account the entire supply chain and the wider industry, this figure could exceed 40,000 and, according to some analyses, reach as many as 100,000.

“We are very keen to support young people in their development and education in the field of offshore wind. This is a new and promising industry, and offshore wind farms are being built not far from here. We want young people from the region to gain knowledge and, in the future, help deliver projects of this kind. Supporting the school in Darłowo is in line with the ORLEN Group’s strategy of developing Polish science and creating opportunities to train the skilled workforce needed for the energy of tomorrow,” says Liliana Ciechanowicz, Member of the Management Board of the ORLEN Foundation for Pomerania.

The opening ceremony was attended by the school’s management and students, representatives of Baltic Power and the ORLEN Foundation for Pomerania, local government officials and representatives of the Port of Darłowo.

Photo: Baltic Power