Professional Diving Academy Welcomes Recent Announcement for Offshore Windfarm Expansion Plans

Monday, Feb 15, 2010

A consortium of companies have won licenses to build offshore wind turbines in nine separate UK seabed zones, in a massive expansion of an industry which could eventually provide a quarter of the UK's electricity requirements. The net result of this expansion will be the creation of one of the biggest infrastructure projects for wind energy in the world. This major engineering challenge, which is scheduled for construction in 2014 at the earliest, is undoubtedly going to require the specialised skills of commercial divers for the installation and eventual inspection and maintenance of the complex systems involved. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the government's policies to support offshore wind energy had put the UK ahead of many other countries. Offshore renewable energy is at the heart of the UK economy's shift to low carbon and could be worth £75bn and support up to 70,000jobs by 2020," he said.

Phase 1 & 2 wind turbine construction is ongoing at the present time around UK waters and Professional Diving Academy graduates are currently carving out a highly lucrative career in this rapidly expanding industry.   Basic diver’s entry wages of around £250 per day are the average that is being paid at the present time - however as turbine installations creep beyond the 12 mile limit, it is expected that divers wages will eventually increase closer to those paid to North Sea divers working on traditional oil and gas associated contracts.  

On hearing this latest news release, the Professional Diving Academy’s general manager Tommy Henaughen commented;   “it is now apparent that today’s generation of commercial divers are going to play an increasingly vital role in the installation of the massive new green infrastructure that is going to power the UK and many other nations into the future. Like the platforms and rigs associated with offshore oil and gas recovery, wind turbines are going to require regular inspection, maintenance and repair work. This is undoubtedly going to provide commercial diving work for a great many years to come.  A proper and realistic diver training program is essential for personal success in this marketplace and because of our close association with the companies, operations managers and diving supervisors involved with these contracts; the Professional Diving Academy remains in a privileged position amongst training providers, where we can teach our candidates the very latest industry relevant working techniques.”   

Professional Diving Academy Graduate Case History:

Former British army officer, Andy Mattinson, provides us with an insight into a typical working contract for a commercial diver employed on an offshore windfarm construction project. As a profession commercial diving provides challenge, excitement and opportunities that are simply not available on any other career path. The recent boom in offshore windfarm development has provided divers like Andy, with another important platform to demonstrate their unique abilities. Divers are an essential commodity for the installation and maintenance of the offshore infrastructures that are going to power many nations into a carbon reduced future.

After graduating from the Professional Diving Academy in the summer of 2007, Andy started working on inshore marine construction contracts, before being employed on a two year windfarm development project off the coast of Denmark. "The diving work was fairly intense, but enjoyable,

and involved a wide variety of subsea procedures. Our team was also required to carry out regular maintenance dives on another – now operational site. This required a completely different set of underwater skills than those used on the installation work – many which were taught at the Diving Academy." The average entry level salary for divers on these contracts is £250 per day; however Andy was soon promoted to Deck Foreman and eventually Dive Supervisor. "Whereas the army gave me the life skills and teamwork experience, there is no doubt that it was the Professional Diving Academy that gave me the technical know how, and practical skills, necessary to make a successful start to my diving career."

Source: Professional Diving Academy