Unpopular opinion: I think the push for all new divers to get their ADAS cert right away is wrong

Three years ago in Aberdeen, I saw a kid fresh out of school with his shiny new ADAS cert get put on a simple hull clean job. He spent more time checking the manual than actually working. Last month, a guy with just his HSE and six years on the rigs ran circles around him on a valve change out. I think you learn more by doing the grunt work first. Has anyone else seen new divers struggle because they focused on the paper over the practice?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire8721mo ago

Honestly see this all the time with new real estate agents who get fancy certs but can't actually talk to a client.

the_tessa1mo ago

Ugh, tell me about it. I got my basic ticket and just worked the simple jobs for two years straight. That time in the mud taught me way more than any extra class could have.

gavin3651mo ago

Spot on. That mud time builds a gut feel for the work you can't get from a book. You learn how things actually break, how clients really act under pressure, and what corners you can never cut. All those little messes and quick fixes stick with you forever. It turns theory into something you just know in your hands. No fancy class can give you that.