It’s been a busy year so far for our training team in Plymouth — and that’s exactly how we like it. Over the past 12 months, around 450 people have come through our training programme, with more having been trained locally at our sites in Houston, Rio and Singapore.

Those taking training include customers, partners, contractors and colleagues learning how to get the best from our systems including our Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) system, Marksman, Fusion 2 positioning software, our Observer wireless asset integrity monitoring solution and our Fetch subsea sensor logging node.

We have a lot more coming too. Our Plymouth team has been working hard to make training more flexible, more accessible and more useful.

This includes upgrading the training facilities at our Turnchapel site, but also increasing remote training and support as well as providing more high-quality digital content you can use before, during and after a course.

Find out more from our fully qualified technical training team

Making training easier to access

Face-to-face training is a big part of what we do, particularly when customers are working with a new system or preparing for more complex operations. But we know that not every training need requires a trip to Plymouth — and not every customer can take people out of operations for several days at a time.

That’s why we’re building more flexibility into how training is delivered. Remote training is increasing, especially around systems such as Marksman and Ranger 2. Marksman supports vessels that need reliable acoustic positioning as part of dynamic positioning operations, while Ranger 2 is our widely-used USBL system for tracking subsea assets such as ROVs, divers, towfish and other equipment from a surface vessel.

By offering more remote and digital options, we can help you get focused support where and when you need it — whether that’s preparing for a project, refreshing knowledge before mobilisation or helping a new team get up to speed.

Virtual classrooms, not just online calls

Alongside e-learning, the team is developing true virtual classroom training. The aim is to give you the structure and interaction of a trainer-led session, without always needing them to travel for a short or very focused topic.

This approach is particularly useful for software-based topics, refresher sessions or post-processing workflows, where you may need expert guidance, but not a full in-person course. It keeps the training personal and interactive, while making it easier to fit around your operational schedules

Supporting Fusion 2 globally

Fusion 2 continues to be a major focus for us in the Plymouth training team, with support for development and customer engagement happening globally. As more people use Fusion 2 to plan, manage and process subsea positioning work, training has an important role in helping them move from software familiarity to operational confidence.

The growing Fusion 2 e-learning offer is part of that. It gives you more ways to understand key workflows, revisit guidance and build confidence over time — not just during a single course.

Qualified trainers, familiar faces

Behind all of this is the training team itself. All of our trainers are fully qualified, giving customers a consistent, professional learning experience whether they are attending a course in Plymouth, joining remotely or working through digital content.

That qualification sits alongside the practical knowledge our trainers bring from real systems, real customers and real operations. It is a strong combination: structured training delivered by people who understand how the technology is used in the field.

Meet the team

Stuart Slade – Lead trainer

With more than 20 years’ experience in offshore construction, positioning and navigation, Stuart brings deep practical knowledge to his role as Lead Trainer. His background spans ROV operations, commercial diving, hydrographic survey, LBL construction, metrology, rig positioning and extensive use of Sonardyne LBL and USBL systems offshore. Since joining Sonardyne in 2013, he has combined that field experience with a passion for knowledge sharing, leading the Training Team and delivering training, support and consultancy to customers around the world.

Paul Aldersley – Technical trainer

Paul brings a strong mix of people development, hydrographic knowledge and practical survey experience to his role as a Sonardyne Technical Trainer. Before moving into hydrography, he spent 25 years as a senior manager and CEO in the charity sector, managing and training a wide range of people. He later gained a hydrography degree from Plymouth University and worked with the UK Hydrographic Office and Andrews Survey on multi-beam data acquisition and processing, cable lay, UXO, wind farm and subsea construction projects. Since joining Sonardyne in 2022, he has delivered training across a range of Sonardyne products.

Steve Shanks – Technical trainer

With 25 years’ experience at sea across military and civilian offshore environments, Steven brings strong practical and teaching credentials to Sonardyne’s training team. A hydrography and marine navigation graduate, he has worked across offshore hydrographic survey and spent more than a decade as a Chief Navigator in seismic oil and gas exploration, specialising in underwater acoustic positioning. He is also a qualified higher education teacher, having taught meteorology and oceanography to Royal Naval Officers, giving him the ideal mix of operational expertise and training experience.

What’s next

More choice, more flexibility and more ways to learn.

We’re continuing to deliver face-to-face training from Plymouth, while building out e-learning, video content, virtual classroom sessions and modular courses.

Most importantly, it means you can build confidence with your Sonardyne systems in the way that works best for you and your team. Whether you’re positioning an ROV, supporting a vessel’s dynamic positioning system, running a subsea survey, monitoring assets over time or building capability with new software, our training is becoming broader, easier to access and more closely connected to the way you work.

With upgraded training space in Plymouth, growing digital capability and strong links into the local marine technology community, we’re making it easier for you to get the right support, at the right time — with plenty more to come.