DIT and The Underwater Centre Form Saturation Diver and ROV Training Alliance

DIT and The Underwater Centre Form Saturation Diver and ROV Training Alliance

The Divers Institute of Technology (DIT), Seattle Washington and the Underwater Centre in Fort William, Scotland have formed an alliance to provide American and Canadian divers the opportunity to advance their careers in the global subsea market.

The Underwater Centre offers Divers Institute of Technology graduates the opportunity to complete their saturation diver training at their Fort William facility, allowing students to work to unlimited depths using oxygen and helium mixtures (mixed gas) and saturation techniques. The Centre’s three-week training in a working saturation dive chamber with numerous bell bounces in a tidal environment, gives the student real-life experience of saturation diving.

In addition to the saturation and mixed gas diver training, the alliance offers the Underwater Centre’s ROV pilot technician training.

Prior to the alliance, there was nowhere in the United States that offered the Closed Bell training required to obtain the prestigious, internationally recognized saturation diving certificate. DIT can now offer American and Canadian subsea workers access to certification and training that will provide additional employment opportunities.

The partnership is currently underway and the first student to come over from Canada has recently finished his training. Aaron Hogan, who has just completed his HSE Closed Bell Course, as well as the Diver Medic training, was delighted with the staff and facilities at the Underwater Centre and is looking forward to putting his new qualifications to good use when he secures his first post in the industry.

Aaron Hogan said, “I’ve been around water since I was very young as I used to work on my dad’s lobster boat so it seemed like a natural progression to decide to get into commercial diving.

“I’d heard quite a lot about the Underwater Centre and one of my friends had come over to learn here so I decided to discuss my options with the staff at DIT and they set everything in motion.

“The people that work at the Underwater Centre are professionals and the facilities reflect that. It has opened many doors for me in the diving industry and I think the more training you have makes you more employable.”

As well as DIT graduates, Divers Institute will also assist any other divers in the USA to access the courses at The Underwater Centre, offering advice, assistance and a straightforward registration procedure at substantial savings.

Mr. Steve Ham, General Manager of The Underwater Centre, believes both schools have recognized the need to maintain a high standard of training, industry focused competence and reliable certification on a worldwide basis, which the alliance between the two centres provides.

“For some time now the Divers Institute of Technology and The Underwater Centre, here in Fort William have enjoyed a developing relationship based on a shared ethos of providing students with the best possible platform on which to build a global subsea career in diving and ROV. We are delighted this relationship has now developed into a formal alliance.”

Mr. Bruce Banks, Managing Member and owner of Divers Institute of Technology is excited by the opportunities that DIT students will now enjoy.

“Divers Institute has been a steadfast proponent for strong diving standards and has been instrumental in helping develop the Canadian Standards Association Z275.4 and Z275.5 diving standards that are reciprocally recognized by HSE and other world-recognized diving standard organizations. To that end, our goal is to ensure that are students are afforded the best employment opportunities throughout the world. Our new alliance with the Underwater Centre expands those opportunities and provides advanced training that will provide our students with the needed saturation diver training to meet the challenges of the subsea marketplace.”

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Press Release, February 08, 2013