Professional Diving Academy received a Government grant to train twenty (20) commercial divers

A highly respected HSE commercial diving training school has recently received a Government grant to train twenty (20) commercial divers.

The Professional Diving Academy, based in Dunoon, Argyll, has been allocated funding through the Scottish Government’s Energy Skills Challenge Fund, to allow students to undertake its highly respected Premier Career Diver Training Package for half of the normal fee.

The highly specialised course package will provide successful graduates with all the HSE diving qualifications that are required to work as a commercial diver internationally and will also include the unique SQA accredited vocational skills packages that PDA has on offer. Underwater welding, tools use, mechanical rigging and lifting are essential working skills for any diver who wishes to be successful in the oil and gas, renewable energy or supporting inland marine construction diving industries.

All of these skills and many more are taught during this course. The Energy Skills Challenge Fund, managed by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), aims to attract new entrants into Scotland’s energy sector by providing the support and training needed to become a commercial diver. It is available to individuals with a Scottish postcode.

 

The Professional Diving Academy was established in 2004 to alleviate industry concern at the very poor quality of graduates coming from diver training schools operating during that period. The PDA has since gone to develop and implement an industry relevant commercial diver training programme, allowing it to establish an excellent reputation within the diving industry as a whole. The HSE diving qualifications issued to successful graduates of the PDA are recognised by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and therefore provide exciting and lucrative employment opportunities at a global level. As one of the most modern diver training schools in the world, the academy is directly connected to the diving industry through its ADC registered sister diving company Shearwater Marine Services, one of the UK’s largest marine civil engineering diving companies, with over two decades worth of contracting pedigree at an international level.

Training Manager Neil MacMillan, commented; “we welcome this funding award from the Scottish Government, which will provide much needed assistance to anyone that has been considering a career in commercial diving but couldn’t afford the initial high costs involved.”

A series of introductory assessment days have been allocated to determine candidate suitability, with the first training course scheduled for the beginning of July.

 

Places will be allocated on a ‘first come basis’ and anyone who interested in finding out more about this exciting opportunity should contact the Professional Diving Academy on +44 (0)1369 701701 or [email protected]