As the demand for commercial divers remains high, the options for work seem endless. After satisfying rigorous training, divers can explore any number of career paths that include underwater shipbuilding or marine life photography. High-quality diving schools offer not only certifications allowing for job qualification but also the knowledge to cope with dangerous conditions.
Requirements to be a Commercial Diver
Commercial diving is a demanding but often rewarding career. Possible tasks include underwater repair or maintenance of oil rigs or bridges, evidence collection for law enforcement, or capturing images or footage for educational or conservation ventures. You might work in any deep body of water, including lakes, bays, and oceans. To perform the job of commercial diving, you must satisfy physical and educational requirements.
- Fluent English – Good reading and writing skills
- High school degree or equivalency
- Pass a physical – Usually must have an exam before you can even apply to dive school
- Diving certification – There are several qualifications you can achieve
Careers in Diving
Besides repairs, maintenance, and installations, commercial divers may also work on new construction sites. Such divers have exceptional mechanical skills and also are proficient welders. Many commercial divers must be able to work above the surface as well as underwater. Nondestructive testers need to have special training to work drones and evaluate the integrity of petrochemical and nuclear facilities. Only top specialists work on shipbuilding and around explosives and volatile elements. Another job you may find is underwater burning and disposal or salvage operations. If you want to pursue photography as an art, there are opportunities to expand into fields in marine biology. You can also utilize a knack for capturing underwater images in evaluating or portraying old ruins or shipwrecks.
Certificates
Most employers and subcontractors require basic certifications for you to perform diving jobs. The more advanced certificates allow you to expand your options.
- Entry Level Tender/Diver Certification – Gives basic qualifications to enter more advanced training
- Nondestructive testing
- Core – In addition to rigging operations, you learn how to read blueprints and how to operate hand equipment and power tools
- Commercial driver certificate – Basic qualification for commercial divers to work
- Topside and underwater welding
- Air mixed gas commercial diver – Does not qualify commercial divers to weld
- Hazmat/Hazwoper – OSHA requirement to learn about hazards of the job
- Unrestricted Surface Supplied Diving Certification – Allows divers to work globally; Divers usually have an umbilical unit that supplies them respiratory gases from above the water’s surface
In addition to diving certifications, workers also find offshore survival and first aid training essential. They learn how to administer CPR and how to treat exposure to hazardous marine life such as jellyfish or stingrays.