Diving into providing safety training around the globe

icWales.co.uk, Oct 26 2007 by Aled Blake, Western Mail

A SPECIALIST diving company has signed a $US1.5m five-year deal with the Malaysian government to provide the country with a range of training services.

International Technical Diving Agency, which is based in New Tredegar, was set up in 1996 by Stephen Murray and Georgina Craig – both professional divers then working in the USA – to provide the diving industry with better training standards, delivered cost effectively.

The agreement with Malaysia will see Mr Murray chair the country’s committee for safety training relating to all diving activities.

The Malaysian government is also building a multi-million- pound International Diving Academy Malaysia and ITDA will be the accreditation agency for the project.

Mr Murray said, “In the past the dive industry training systems were driven by commercial goals rather than safety.

“Our aim is to improve dive safety levels world-wide – encompassing all aspects of diving, from commercial and technical diving to sport diving.”

The company operates in 30 countries, providing dive instructors with full health and safety training, certification and accreditation.

In addition to its New Tredegar headquarters, the company has offices in Germany, Egypt and Singapore.

ITDA has worked with International Business Wales, the overseas trade and investment arm of the Welsh Assembly Government, to develop many of its overseas trade opportunities.

Continuing its relationship with IBW, ITDA also intends to create similar trade links with Indonesia.

Mr Murray said, “IBW’s support has been invaluable, and has opened many doors for us. As a result, our business has grown far more rapidly than expected.

“The Far East, Egypt and South East Asia represent important opportunities, and we plan to deve- lop trade links in these regions.”

Malaysia is currently heavily reliant on foreign contractors to provide diving inspections on oil and gas pipelines and rigs – a reliance it wishes to reduce.

Backed by energy giant, Petronas, Malaysia’s state-owned oil and gas company, ITDA already offers training from a $25m joint training facility in Malaysia to indigenous divers and rescue services personnel.

“With our help the Malaysian government wishes to bring on a new generation of skilled workers to carry out the tasks previously performed by outside nations,” says Mr Murray.

ITDA’s comprehensive safety programme took three years to develop. “Our accreditation programme is modelled on the UK HSE – which has some of the most stringent safety requirements in the world – and provides a unified standard that meets the diverse safety requirements demanded by different nations.

“Divers taking part in our programme are also fully trained in rescue techniques. And our expertise encompasses medical training, not only dive-related medical procedures, but the full spectrum of first-aid techniques.

“This medical service will be delivered to a broad range of industries, rather than solely to the diving world.”

Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, said, “ITDA is a small company that operates in a niche market and its services are in demand in countries around the world.

“The high quality of its operation is the key to its success and I am glad the Assembly Government has been able to support its international operations through our International Business Wales team.”