Dean Fairbairn entering AIS Training's world-class underwater welding tank
Delegates travel from all over the globe to train at our world-class training supercentre but hats off to Dean Fairbairn who came more than 18,500 miles for his course.
Dean flew 24 hours from South Island, New Zealand to undertake an underwater welding assessment at our state-of-the-art, 20-acre training village in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
The assessment was required for Dean’s job as an underwater welder in the South China Sea where he is currently inspecting anodes off the coast of Malaysia. Conducted over three-days, the assessment involves practising an underwater multi-run fillet weld test to AWSD3.6 standard, which is then sent to the Zurich laboratory to be tested independently for integrity.
AIS Training has invested up to £1m in its underwater welding tank where qualified divers learn how to weld underwater – a skill used in the sub-sea, marine and oil and gas sectors. Underwater welding is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world and is a highly specialised skill with some underwater welders commanding salaries of up to £3k a day. Currently there are only three underwater welding centres in the UK and a limited number across the world where you can train.
Dean said: “The company I’m going to work for needed me to hold a verified certificate for underwater welding to demonstrate competency and I searched long and hard to find a suitable place to undertake the assessment.
“I found AIS Training via a Google search and have been really impressed. Everyone in the business has been extremely friendly and gone out of their way to help me - from the guy who welcomed me in the car park and helped me park through to the hotel concierge and the restaurant staff. The instructors are great too and some of the most knowledgeable welders I’ve ever met. Really supportive and constantly offering help and assistance to improve my welding skills so that I’ll ultimately submit a test piece which will be rigorously tested and approved.
“Although it was a long way to travel, my trip here has been well worthwhile!”
To find out about the wide range of welding courses offered by AIS Training CLICK HERE
