Since 1974 the underwater skills program at Seneca College has trained commercial divers for nearly 50 years. Divers support a giant portion of our infrastructure and have a massive impact on our everyday lives. From the oil and gas industry that allows us to drive our cars, gives us energy, and heats our homes for decades, to the inshore industry that builds our dams, bridges, and ports. Today, March 24th, 2023 we received word that the program will be canceled effective Fall 2023.

As a current student in the program, my fellow students and I will be able to graduate. However, this program means a lot to us due to the invaluable education and training I and many others have received. We believe this level of training should continue for many years to come. Now is not a time that we should be taking away the training of such important people that allow everyone else to live their lives the way that they do. As a program that is able to train 48 students over the course of the 10-month program, it is the largest training facility in Canada for DCBC unrestricted surface-supplied diving certification. To take this away means that the industry will be lacking a supply of newly trained personnel to take over for those that retire from the field.

I am asking all students, Alumni, and Instructors to please share how this program has helped you in pursuit of your career and how much of an impact your education has had on your life. Take the time to fill out your reason for signing this petition in as many words as you like and hopefully we can make a difference and show Seneca this program is a lot more than just numbers.