Underwater Center Names ROV Op'ns Manager

New role created to develop ROV training and trials portfolio.

The Underwater Centre, has appointed Steve Cullen to the newly created role of ROV Operations Manager, where he will lead the development of the Centre’s ROV training and trials activities.

He joins the Centre from Ashtead Technology and Subsea 7 where he took up similar training roles, with responsibility for ROV personnel’s technical and engineering training.

Culllen brings a wealth of experience to the Centre, having worked offshore for more than 23 years in various positions from ROV pilot to Offshore Operations Manager.

He also has a Master’s degree in education and spent six years working for the Highland Council as a secondary school teacher, teaching a variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects.

Cullen will this week help to judge the MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) ROV Scotland competition, taking place at RGU. The competition is designed to challenge students to apply the STEM skills they are learning in the classroom to solving problems from the marine workplace.

At the Centre, Culllen is most looking forward to developing the ROV training portfolio and trials capability in order to meet the advancing technological and operational needs of the ROV industry.

General Manager Steve Ham described Steve’s appointment as ‘very significant’ for the Centre.

The Underwater Centre is a purpose built training and trials facility which incorporates an extensive pier complex including four dive stations, classrooms, workshops and decompression chambers. 

With accommodation and additional classrooms based at the landward end of the pier, The Underwater Centre is set up to provide its students with the skills and experience to succeed in their new careers, and continue providing the subsea industry with the workforce that it needs.