A Highland subsea diver training facility has received a £130,000 grant to train commercial divers.
The Underwater Centre at Fort William said yesterday the funding from the Scottish Government’s Energy Skills Challenge Fund meant 15 trainees would pay half the fees usually required.
The centre, which is based at the head of Loch Linnhe, added the latest funding followed a £360,000 award made three months ago to help 42 divers.
Steve Ham, general manager at the facility, said: “This is great news for those who want to pursue a career in diving but have perhaps never had the opportunity financially to go for it.
“It is also good news for industry, which is struggling to find skilled workers for the subsea sector at a time of sustained growth and expansion.”
The Energy Skills Challenge Fund, managed by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), aims to attract new entrants into Scotland’s energy sector and help people make their existing skills relevant to the industry.
Gordon McGuinness, head of industry and enterprise networks at SDS, said: “The additional funding allocated to the Underwater Centre is an excellent example of sector-specific training to set another group of commercial divers on the right track to a successful career within the energy sector.”
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