"I think we have a quite large impact on how our province functions simply due to how much water we are surrounded by and it's really brutal the program is going away." Seneca College said the decision to cut the almost 50-year-old commercial diving program was not made lightly. "Commercial divers, especially in Toronto are a huge support just from an economic standpoint," he said, pointing out commercial divers are needed for water treatment plants, nuclear plants, underwater construction, lock systems in rivers and canals and rescue and recovery operations. That happened before the regulations came in." 'Brutal the program is going away': studentĬurrent students will be able to finish the program, like Jack Evans who is enrolled in classes. "They are going to be doing it illegally with not enough crew and people are going to die," he told CBC Toronto from his shop in Etobicoke. Gallagher is fearful that with the amount of work increasing and not enough divers to keep up with it, employers will start to use divers who aren't properly trained for a certain job.
More than 90% of Gallagher's commercial divers come directly from Seneca College. "Given the combination of the high operating and capital costs, the funding environment and low student demand, there was no reasonable prospect of the program getting on solid operational footing and we are unable to continue the program," said spokesperson Ryan Flanagan.īut Elsey said the commercial diving industry is hurting for qualified people and the students who came out of Seneca College had a high level of competency that is essential in what can be dangerous work.ĭave Gallagher is seen at his commercial diving construction shop, Galcon Marine Ltd in Etobicoke, Ontario. In a statement to CBC Toronto, Seneca College said, "This was not a decision made lightly, and certainly was no reflection on the faculty and staff who have contributed so much to the reputation of the program." I don't know who made the decision but they sure as heck didn't talk to us," said Elsey. "It's like someone flipped the light switch. "There is complete shock that this has happened, across the whole industry, across Canada," said Elsey, now the executive director of the Canadian Association of Diving Contractors. That's prompting concerns over workplace safety and labour shortages from members of the commercial diving industry, including one of the program's first instructors.ĭoug Elsey was among the earliest instructors with the program in 1974 and still sits on the board of advisors.
The underwater skills program has been around for almost 50 years, but the college has cited high operating costs and low student demand as the reasons for its closure. Commercial diving experts say the industry will be under water if Seneca College doesn't reverse its recent decision to cancel its diving program.
0 kommentar(er)
