Thurs, 10/5/2011

New Space Means New Opportunities at Divers Institute of Technology

Divers Institute of Technology (DIT) located in Seattle, Wash., recently moved to a newly renovated, state-of-the-art location on the north shore of Lake Union in March and hosted students, staff and dignitaries at a grand opening and open house in July. This new location boasts a much larger footprint -- with the flexibility to grow -- and showcases significant upgrades to the Learning Resource Center, student lounge, metals/welding shop and administrative offices. The new location was designed from top to bottom by the DIT team to ensure students receive the highest quality underwater education available.

"The space is about a 100-percent upgrade. We've gone from being a warehouse to the feeling of a college," says Willy Wilson, director of placement, who has worked at the school since 1975. "I think it's a better overall learning experience for students, and a better teaching experience for our instructors, as well."

Established in 1968 by John Manlove, DIT originally occupied Barge 41 on the ship canal in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. In 1985 the barge sank, which forced the school to move to the location where it would remain for the next 23 years. This property proved to be an excellent choice for the school���s program, but with the growth the school has experienced in the past 10 years, moving was inevitable.

"We have more classrooms now," says Wilson. "And they're more comfortable." With students spending their first of seven months of training topside, this comfort is important.

Dedicated to the Right Tools and Resources
According to DIT���s Executive Director, John Paul Johnston, the new location was originally a ship���s chandlery and was completely renovated and seismically updated four years ago. The school occupies the first and second floors of the Northlake building, located lakeside, and on the shoreline side, the metals program building houses the metals/welding module, student lounge and provides room for growth. DIving barges and the M/V Response are moored on piers that have depths ranging from 12 to 45 feet of water. Deep dives are conducted on Lake Washington.

The new classrooms are open and spacious providing an excellent learning environment, with lesson plans being delivered digitally. On the waterfront, each diving barge is outfitted to meet the demands of a specific objective of the course, from underwater hydraulic tools and HAZMAT diving to pipeline projects and salvage operations. Underwater welding is accomplished in two 5,500 gallon tanks, which are outfitted with ports to allow the students to perform their work under the watchful eyes of instructors. This provides students immediate feedback about their progress and has resulted in a significant improvement in course outcomes.

The new location also means the Institute may soon be expanding its curriculum. By being able to offer the most technologically advanced training safely on-site, the Institute is attracting instructors with deeper breadth and depth of experience. This only means better training and experiences for tomorrow's leaders in commercial diving.