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Encouraging responses to IMCA competence questionnaire

Published on 8 October 2012

The results of a questionnaire, developed by the International Marine Contractors Association’s (IMCA) Competence & Training Core Committee, aimed at offshore personnel, revealed that 64% of the 276 offshore personnel from over 35 contractor members who responded used a competence scheme.

“We were highly encouraged, not only by answers to the questionnaire, but that so many people took part in it,” says Hugh Williams, Chief Executive of IMCA. “It was possible for respondents to select more than one division from marine, diving, ROV and survey, and also to select more than one answer for what form of employee they were. This means that some of the results can suggest that more than 276 respondents took part; and also made comments.”

The analysis of the questionnaire results showed that:

  • The majority of respondents in competence schemes said they understood how the schemes worked;
  • Personnel employed in ROV activities were more in favour of competence schemes than personnel in any other activities;
  • Roughly three-quarters of respondents found assessors to be credible;
  • Around two-thirds of respondents found competence transferable between employers;
  • Around three-quarters of respondents felt they should be in a competence scheme;
  • Around two-thirds of respondents said they were aware of the IMCA competence framework;
  • Only around a third of respondents had been asked for evidence of competence when moving between employers.

A full breakdown of the results has been published by IMCA as an information note (IMCA C 08/12); and the findings and results will be addressed in the continuing work programme of the IMCA Competence & Training Core Committee.