Student Blog

Since my course in 2006 my work has taken me all over the world. The PDA set me up for a new career relatively late in life brilliantly. The PDA should be the first choice for anyone seeking a career in Commercial Diving.

Hi guys, I'm off to Port Lincoln, South Australia on friday the 28th. I have a Diving job on the Maria Louisa for the comming tuna season and I'm gonna be out at sea for 6 months. Big thanx to Nick Jackson, Neil Macmillan and Don Gable. u guys r the best in the business. 1 more thing, Nick I miss our little moments. I don't feel complete without them LOL. Lee Tugwell CDC37

Since leaving the pda I've worked all over Scotland, Holland, Germany and soon to be heading out to the Middle East.......Big thanks to all at the Academy.....Keep up the good work......Kevin Mackie CDC28

Well wot can i say. Its been a life changing experience which I would recommend to all. First of all you get to meet the nice people at the academy who are friendly and always willing to help. Second the diving equipment is well serviced and looked after by the staff which gives extra reassurance when first starting out. After leaving the PDA it has opened up many doors to work around the world.

Hi everyone.. I left the diving academy in 2006 and got work more or less straight away in civils. Some of it was good, some of it not so good, such as diving in raw sewage!! However the equipment was designed to stop any physical contact with the raw materials and I stuck with it!! The job is amazingly varied and no two days are the same. For example I went from the sewage pond work to repairing a swimming pool at Butlins. This was great as I could have a jacuzzi afterwards.

Since becoming a diver I have worked in several countries including Iceland which was amazing. There are not many people who spend a day in the office with orcas swimming around them! During days off we passed time by climbing volcanoes. Right now I am helping to build a windfarm in Denmark. This is my second tour here and have made it to deck foreman for this trip. It is hard work, and can be very tough, but stick with it and who knows what might happen. Becoming a diver has turned my life around. PS I still have the beard from PDA!!!

Hi all. After leaving the PDA I started working with a London based civils company and gained plenty of skills including cutting using Broco and welding. One of the highlights was working below Canary Wharf where I actually dived some 70m through the piles to the old dock wall! I was then introduced to the joys of power station diving,a labyrinth of submerged passageways which had to be negotiated

In July 2008 I joined a gaggle of former PDA students with Norfolk Marine in the Republic of Ireland. The job was a large joint venture between constructors Sisk and Lagan resulting in a marina project in Greystones, Co Wicklow. The diving was high paced, arduous work but the scenery was nice, the Guinness was fantastic and the pay was excellent for civils work.

In late Feb 2009 I embarked on my first foray into the offshore world. I’m currently typing this blog 28 Nautical miles off the West coast of Denmark. I’m working on the Horns Rev wind farms. I’ve been onboard the dive vessel since I arrived and hope to remain here at least until the end of June. Despite having only been diving for 20 months, it amazes me how many familiar faces I've come across..

I had such a great course at the PDA! I have now been working for 6 months as a commercial diver in the Netherlands and dive everyday, it's a great job! PDA thanks!! and I will come back for the wet welding course!! Cheers Arjen