Varying degrees...

[A. Berk]

... of success have been encountered by the new guys who have taken the big step of doing a commercial course. I have managed to place a handfull of guys in their first offshore jobs though sadly I can't do that for all. However, the general consensus across the industry is that the present climate - where there is a cartload of work for divers globaly - will continue. There is even long-range talk of one or even two 'Katrina' sized 'blows' this hurricane season which, if they occure, will place yet more work in our laps. There are several new multi-million dollar diving support vessels being built right now (bigger and better than that red thing in my avatar) and they wouldn't have made it to the drawing board unless someone knew there would be work for them.

So, although I always advise not to believe the propaganda that diving schools put out you can be fairly confident that commercial divers are still many years from extinction.

Dive safely.

Berko

[Dangerous Dan]

Good to hear it,

Dan

[Chriz]

No rumours about Venice in the future?

Regards
Chris/z

[TUP]

They would have because the current diving/construction ships are getting old and do not meet new/current specs so new builds are inevitable and the investment would not be there unless the long term work was there? The ship I work on commands a N. Sea rate of around £135K per day and has a market value of around £36m for a vessel 25 years old (Norwegian spec) that says a lot? Not a lot of room for baby divers to cut thier teeth! You teach them and pass the good ones on to us?
cheers.

[The complete goggler]

Originally Posted by TUP

Not a lot of room for baby divers to cut thier teeth! You teach them and pass the good ones on to us?
cheers.

When is a 'baby' not a 'baby'? - After doing a 'sat' course on the end of the basic air course, of course!
Apparently that's what they're doing in France now - in the door as green as grass - out the door as green as grass with a saturation ticket! The loonies have taken over the asylum

[BigHairyAl]

Glad to hear it Berko

I never did take the rosy picture Fort Bill painted as gospel, but the current inshore situation in the UK looks good enough - the vast majority of my intake are all working their socks off. Shetland is still interesting, but starting to get wanderlust - thinking about Oz for the winter, then p'raps trying to get offshore somewhere warm.........

[A. Berk]

Originally Posted by BigHairyAl

Glad to hear it Berko

I never did take the rosy picture Fort Bill painted as gospel, but the current inshore situation in the UK looks good enough - the vast majority of my intake are all working their socks off. Shetland is still interesting, but starting to get wanderlust - thinking about Oz for the winter, then p'raps trying to get offshore somewhere warm.........

Good to hear you and the rest of your course are working Al. The dive schools have 'talked the talk' for years... I wonder how it feels for them to actually be telling the truth for once? The big 'conveyor belt' of this industry is moving along nicely with many experienced divers moving into supervisory positions and not-so experienced guys getting their first shot at sat after just a year of air work - its 'fastrack' but I guess that's the way of everything now.

Dive safe,

Berko

[A. Berk]

Originally Posted by A. Berk;708059[QUOTE

... the general consensus across the industry is that the present climate - where there is a cartload of work for divers globaly - will continue. There is even long-range talk of one or even two 'Katrina' sized 'blows' this hurricane season which, if they occure, will place yet more work in our laps.

Well, the weathermen may have got it right. Hurricane Dean is on its way to the Gulf, whether it's course will take it through the major oil-fields or not we will have to wait and see. If it does, lets hope that no lives are lost this time around. Divers will be happy for the work that will come their way but I for one hate the thought of it costing human lives.

A. Berk