As commercial divers in the North Sea threaten to strike over pay, industry insiders are warning that Scotland’s potential expansion of offshore wind farms and a rejuvenated North Sea oil industry could lead to skill shortages, including an urgent demand for commercial divers and other specialist sub-sea roles.

MICHAEL ALEXANDER investigated and discovered that the prospect of a worldwide commercial diver shortage is already attracting trainees to Scotland from across the world.

Veering away from the convoys of tourist buses making their relentless passage through Fort William town centre, there’s a small road, not marked on tourist maps, which leads into an industrial estate then onto a private pier. From the pier, which juts out into the choppy waters of the sea loch, there are fine views back to the perennially cloud-capped summit of Ben Nevis.

Walk a bit further and the ‘no unauthorised access’ signs are an early give away that this is no ordinary jetty. But towards the end of the pier, it’s the rows of men getting kitted up in diving suits and aqualungs, next to a workshop sparking with welders’ torches, which makes you think you might have strayed onto the set of the latest James Bond film!

Welcome to the Underwater Centre—a college that is attracting new commercial diver recruits in response to what many fear is an impending skills crisis in the international oil and gas industry.

Chosen by the Government in 1972 as the ideal site to establish a commercial diving training centre, the now privately run complex describes itself as the only diving school in the world to offer multi-depth levels right up to 150 metres and unlike most other seawater training sites, the sheltered waters allow diving to continue in almost all weather.

The centre has never been busier. Current students have come from as far afield as Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria and Poland.

But as sales and marketing manager Steve Ham (41) explained, the skills shortage, which could have an impact on the North Sea oil and gas industry, is forecast to get worse.

“In the 1970s and 80s during the oil boom, the price of oil dropped and there were tons of divers out there,” he said as we toured the facilities which teach all aspects of commercial diving. “There were a large number of public run dive schools supporting the oil and gas industry, and the result was a healthy stream of trained divers entering the industry. In the 80s, diving colleges across the country were privatised due to the obvious commercial opportunities. However, in the early 90s, when oil prices began to slump, the resulting reduction in demand for divers spelt disaster for the schools. One by one, the colleges went bankrupt and were asset-stripped to pay for the losses.

“With the recent upturn in oil prices, the demand for divers has risen again, but as most of the schools are closed, there simply aren’t the divers being trained to fill the positions. The Underwater Centre is one of only two schools in Scotland, and we are experiencing unprecedented interest in dive courses as people recognise the career opportunities.

“There is already a skills shortage, but this is only going to get worse. The average age of a commercial diver in the North Sea is around 48. In just a few years there will be a surge in divers retiring from the industry, leaving an even bigger skills gap. This, coupled with a lack of new blood coming through, will cause a serious problem later on.”

Indeed, divers are beginning to recognise how valuable they are due to the shortage, and they have threatened to strike for a 50% pay rise. Additionally, oil companies have warned they might have to cancel contracts in future due to a lack of support services available.

Last week, industry body Subsea UK said its study showed that work in the UK oil and gas sector was set for a boom that would create 3000 new jobs over the next five years. By next year, energy companies will be turning over £5.1 billion a year in this country, the group said.

The UK’s subsea sector is now the largest in the world accounting for more than half the global market. Export levels have risen by more than 20% in the last year, with west Africa a particularly strong market. However, Subsea UK has warned that changes are needed if Britain is to remain at the forefront. It has warned there must be a bigger pool of workers skilled in oil and gas roles, and technology must be improved. “We can only win the global prize if we meet the demand for suitably qualified professionals and engineers,” said David Pridden, chief executive of Subsea UK.

“And we must become faster at commercialising new technology. To do this we must create a global centre of sub-sea excellence here in the UK, focusing on developing new skills and technologies.” He called on the Government and industry to work together on building a centre before the “window of opportunity” closes.

It’s not all plain sailing, however, as divers are threatening to bring work to a standstill in a pay row.

North Sea deep sea divers want a 50% pay rise and have been considering industrial action after rejecting a 15% pay offer over three years. The RMT (Rail Maritime and Transport) union has balloted 700 divers and support workers on a possible strike from November 1. The union said divers’ earnings had slipped behind average earnings by almost 20% over the past 20 years and claim a 50% rise is viable.

One diver, who asked not to be named, told The Courier, “Safety is a highest priority in the North Sea but we put our lives on the line in one of the most dangerous jobs there is. Things can go wrong and, if they do, it’s not going to be pleasant for the divers involved. That’s why we think we need greater recognition.”

It’s a view shared by RMT union general secretary Bob Crow. He said, “The massive turnout and the all-but unanimous vote show exactly how angry our members are at an offer that simply fails even to dent the chronic pay slippage they have had to endure for more than 20 years. We hope that employers will take note of this tremendous ballot result and table an offer that redresses the real-term pay cuts and sub-inflation deals our members have been expected to swallow for so long.”

Back at the Underwater Centre, it’s ironically the prospect of existing high wages, and good job prospects, which is attracting commercial diver recruits from across the globe.

Onboard a diving vessel moored to the rear of the jetty, chief commercial dive instructor Alf Leadbitter, is instructing a recruit from Trinidad and Tobago on the role of life support technician. The recruit is in communication with a countryman—currently five metres below the surface in a diving bell, and visible on a monitor in the vessel’s control centre. It’s not cheap to qualify as a commercial diver. Courses cost between £3000 and £11,000. But the Trinidadian, like others on the course, can expect to earn “big money” when he qualifies. Many of those trained at Fort William expect to take their new found skills abroad.

Alf said, “There’s plenty of interest in diving, but we need to see more young people being accepted. If more offshore wind farms are to be built, requiring divers for maintenance and servicing work, it’ll put greater strains on the industry. But the diving companies seem to be waking up to the fact there could be shortages.”

Courses range from the basic Health and Safety Executive scuba course—the minimum certificate needed to be a commercial diver and is suitable for scientific and inspection divers, fish-farm workers and scallop divers, to the HSE closed bell certificate where divers learn to work in pressurised saturation systems, using a mix of oxygen and helium. Divers using this technique can dive to unlimited depths in pressurised diving systems and earn up to £1000 a day in the North Sea.

A spokesman for Subsea Seven, an offshore exploration company which employs 4000 people on and offshore from its base in Aberdeen, said the skills shortage is not yet being felt in the North Sea. But with an ageing workforce, he confirmed that was forecast to change in the longer term. He said efforts were being made within the industry to try and raise the profile of such jobs and attract new recruits. But more needed to be done.

He said it wasn’t just diving that was affected. There was a potential skills shortage across the board, from engineers to technicians. The offshore industry was not seen as being as attractive as it once was. There was little prospect of contracts being affected in the short term. But to safeguard the interests of successful oil contracts in the longer term, issues had to be looked at and addressed. The Courier contacted several other Aberdeen-based oil and gas exploration companies. While all confirmed there were issues, they declined to make any public comment.

The International Marine Contractors Association—an umbrella body for diving companies—and the Offshore Operators Association, also refused to comment.