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MI to the Mediterranean – Meet 2016 Graduation Student Speaker Will Glatt
Friday, June 17, 2016

From an early age, Will Glatt dreamed of a career that would allow him to travel and explore but also had variety and enabled him to work with his hands. He found all of this, and more in the Remotely Operated Vehicles Technician Diploma program – a program he will officially graduate from today.

“I was a sea cadet for nine years and grew up reading classic science fiction by Robert Heinlien, Issac Assimov and Frank Herbert,” he said. “Learning about technology and building technical skills strongly appealed to me because of this and the decision to pursue a career in underwater vehicles felt natural.”

While the right program was important to Mr. Glatt, so was finding the right school.

“I wanted to attend a school where I wouldn’t just be a number and was in search of low student-teacher ratios,” he said. “I wanted hands-on learning and flexibility and MI met all of that criteria and then some.”

The ROV program is designed to prepare students to work with a wide range of vehicles, perform ROV maintenance, understand ROV systems and work safely in unique ocean environments – all through classroom, simulated and workplace training.

Workplace training that in Mr. Glatt’s case took him halfway around the world and back again, twice. For two summers, Mr. Glatt worked with RPM Nautical Foundation (RPMNF), through Highland Geo Solutions where he and the team explored the ancient ruins of the Mediterranean.

“My workterms were everything I was in search of and more,” said Mr. Glatt. “What an amazing opportunity to take video surveys of ship wrecks and recover ancient artifacts such as pottery in places such as Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Malta and Italy.”

He describes his favourite workterm memory, as he took an ROV on a deep dive where he explored beautiful black coral reefs with luminous white spider crabs and a variety of fish. “It was like exploring another planet,” he said.

While Mr. Glatt is thankful for his experiences abroad, closer to home, he also enjoyed the skills he developed through hands on experiences in the ROV shop at MI.

“I spent a lot of time over the past few years, tinkering, repairing or constructing new ROVs,” he said. “The instructors and lab technicians at MI have really helped to open doors for me – both physically and metaphorically.”

As for what’s next, Mr. Glatt has big plans.

“I hope to continue learning specialized skills that will further my career such as hydraulics and fiberoptics specialty courses,” he said. “I have even considered going to school as a machinist because much of my time at MI was spent in the Ocean Technology fabrication shop and I really enjoy designing and building technologies.”

Mr. Glatt’s dream job is to work with the Canadian Scientific Submersible Foundation (CSSF), based out of Sannich, BC.

“They work with universities and institutes to help facilitate scientific programs and research,” he said. “Beyond that I would like to work in underwater vehicle design and manufacturing.”

As he prepares to head off on his next adventure, he eagerly offers advice to potential and current MI students, particularly those in the ROV and underwater vehicles programs.

Explore the leadership and volunteer opportunities available through the student union, MUN volunteer bureau and MI student services,” he said. “Join Eastern Edge Robotics, MUN's MATE competition team and spend as much time as you can in the ROV simulator.”

For more on Mr. Glatt, check out this short video.