5 / 10 / 07 - Investment to tackle offshore skills shortage

Aberdeen’s National Hyperbaric Centre is joining an initiative to help tackle the critical offshore skills shortage by training more divers to work in the energy sector. The NHC, currently establishing itself as a worldwide centre of excellence for subsea safety, will develop equipment to be used in a new diving saturation system to be built at Scotland’s Professional Diving Academy. The collaboration is part of a £1million-plus investment in the Academy, at Dunoon, being announced today (Friday) by Scottish Energy Minister and Argyll & Bute MSP Jim Mather. The venture, which includes a new diver training vessel, will create more than 20 new jobs and bolster local businesses with students from all over the world expected to enrol. NHC’s managing director, David Smith, who is also a director of the Professional Diving Academy, said the Dunoon facility is increasing its capabilities with the new vessel to satisfy the boom in demand for commercial diver training. The saturation diving system, in which divers can live at pressure for up to 28 days, will be installed on one of the Academy’s vessels berthed in the Holy Loch. Mr Smith said: “The new developments will complement the existing training facilities and address the skills gap faced by the booming offshore industry as a whole. “It is estimated that, over the next two or three years, the marine contracting industry will need an extra 800 personnel in saturation diving and related positions, along with thousands of personnel in other disciplines.” Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise Energy and Tourism, made the investment announcement during an Open Day at the Academy to showcase the facilities at the school which is celebrating its third anniversary. He said: "I am absolutely delighted that the Professional Diving Academy is making this investment not only in its own future but to help boost the future prosperity of our area. These new developments will undoubtedly enhance the reputation of the Academy as a centre of excellence in diver training and attract recruits from all over the UK as well as overseas, boosting the local economy in the process. "This is a great example of how a relatively new enterprise can provide vital skills for Scotland's energy sector and contribute to the local economy and tourism." The Academy was established in 2004, at the Sandbank Business Park, Dunoon, to satisfy the high expectations and standards demanded by the diving industry in the 21st century. It already boasts the diving vessel MV Sleat, described as probably the best fitted out diver training vessel anywhere in the world.