- What are the career prospects for a commercial diver, what type of work could I get?
- How much could I earn as a commercial diver?
- If I fail any part of the course am I able to re-sit, if so how many times and what help will the Centre staff give?
- Am I too old to start a career in commercial diving?
- Does my diving medical have to be carried out in the UK?
- What do I need to be able to work offshore?
- Where would I find work?
- Are there job agencies for divers? How do I find work?
- Is it easy to find a job?
- Will my HSE qualification get me work?
- Is it harder for women to build a career in the commercial diving industry?
- Have ROVs replaced the need for divers in the industry?
- Can I attend a commercial diving course if I wear glasses or contact lens?
- I am worried about safety, how much of an issue is it?
What are the career prospects for a commercial diver, what type of work could I get?
After qualifying you will usually find work with a UK or European Civil Engineering Company, working on dams, harbours, sewer outfalls, fish farm and marina installations or overseas oil related work. Basically anywhere there is water and work is required. Actually you do not even need water, as there are diving jobs in other liquids. However the following should be borne in mind.
You get paid for working in the water not for diving (this is merely the means to get there) thus the more skills you have the better chance of getting work. Because of the laws governing commercial diving most companies prefer to subcontract work to specialist diving companies and it is these diving contractors which are your best chance of work. Most Diving Contractors are members of either the Association of Diving Contractors (UK version) or The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA).
Most diving is common sense, the ability to problem solve is very useful and you must be able to work with your hands and have a positive attitude. The ability to work with rigging equipment and tools is very important this is why we tell anyone who does not posses these skills to do the tools course.
With wet welding training you could undertake skilled tasks such as ship hull repair, underwater maintenance or anode replacement.
New European legislation specifies that any work affecting the seabed now requires an Environmental Impact Assessment. This has created a serious need for divers trained to conduct these assessments, our Scientific & Archaeological teaches the skills needed for this.
Once you have sufficient experience you can return to the Centre to complete the Closed Bell Course enabling you to undertake highly paid saturation diving work, predominantly in the oil industry.
You could consider working as a member of saturation support staff, as an Assistant Life Support Technician, tending divers in decompression chambers. This job has a career structure leading to a Life Support Technician and Life Support Supervisor
There is currently a shortage of skilled Archaeological divers, work in this field would include surveying and recording sites, as well as dealing with conservation and moving of artefacts. You would work for oceanography centres, marine laboratories as well as specialist contractors.
How much could I earn as a commercial diver?
After qualifying divers need to gain experience in a new field. Initial work will be inshore, with the majority of divers working for a civil engineering diving company. A civils inshore diver can earn in the region of £60-£120 per day, and would work perhaps 180-200 days in a year. Taking additional courses will increase your skills and boost your earning capabilities.
After gaining commercial diving experience you can progress off-shore. Additional qualifications, such as underwater tools, cutting and burning and Non-Destructive Testing enable you to undertake skilled construction work, and earn around £270 per day. You would anticipate working 120-150 days per year.
After gaining sufficient experience you can return to The Underwater Centre to train for the Closed Bell (saturation) diving. Saturation divers can earn up to £1000 per day in the North Sea, or up to $850 per day in the Far East.
Working in saturation support, you could earn approximately £270 per day offshore.
With a shortage of archaeological divers, there are good employment prospects in this area, pay varies, but you could earn in the region of £100 - £150 per day.
Can I attend a commercial diving course if I wear glasses or contact lens?
Yes, this is not a problem. You can purchase special fluid to prevent glasses from steaming up.
If I fail any part of the course am I able to re-sit, if so how many times and what help will the Centre staff give?
If a student is struggling with elements of the course, they will be given additional tuition and support from their tutor. If a student fails any exams, they are able to discuss any problems with an instructor and they are given the opportunity to re-sit.
Is it harder for women to build a career in the commercial diving industry?
Women can and do build successful careers in commercial diving. We have trained a number of women here at The Underwater Centre. The offshore construction industry is male dominated, but it is far from being the only career path. Many women have successful careers working as archaeological or media divers, or even as inshore SCUBA divers.
Am I too old to start a career in commercial diving?
There is no age limit provided you are healthy and fit enough to pass an HSE diver medical. You can ask our sales team and they will help you find an HSE approved doctor. However the younger you are, the more time you will have to develop a well-paid career.
Does my diving medical have to be carried out in the UK?
Your HSE diving medical must be conducted by an HSE approved doctor. HSE medicals are now accepted from the following countries: UK, Norway, Holland and Ireland. If you contact us we can help you find a doctor in the UK, and if necessary make an appointment for you.
A full HSE diving medical costs approx. £120.
What do I need to be able to work offshore?
You need to at least complete HSE Surface Supplied and HSE Surface Supplied Top-Up. This will qualify you to dive offshore, but you will probably need inshore commercial diving experience before you can expect to be employed offshore, and it is certainly advisable to take additional courses such as tools training.
Where would I find work?
If you are prepared to travel you will find it easier to build the range of your diving experience. Since the world is mostly water there are jobs everywhere. The oil industry is a big employer with Africa, The Middle East, India and the Far East being traditional places to work. A new place which is opening up is Russia.
Are there job agencies for divers? How do I find work?
The Underwater Centre provides all its students with a directory of diving employers world-wide. We will help you prepare your CV, and we advise you to start contacting companies during your course.
Is it easy to find a job?
It can be hard finding your first job and you do need commitment and determination to succeed in this industry. If you are flexible and prepared to travel it will give you more options and make it easier to find work.
Around 70 - 80% of our graduates find work within 90 days of leaving the course.
If you take additional skills courses, you will enhance your employability, the more multi-skilled you are the more attractive you are to an employer.
Will my HSE qualification get me work?
Your HSE diving qualification is recognised world-wide and is preferred by many companies. Remember it is just the means by which you get to work, so additional skills courses, such as tools training and Non-Destructive testing, are very valuable.
An HSE SCUBA qualification enables you to undertake work such as scallop diving, some work on fish farms and work in industries such as media, archaeology or science.
Your Surface Supply qualifications mean you can take on more substantial tasks such as underwater maintenance.
A Closed Bell qualification allows you to work offshore diving at depths of 100 + metres. You will be saturation diving and work would include underwater maintenance and testing.
Have ROVs replaced the need for divers in the industry?
ROVs are developing as an integral part of the industry, but they will never replace the need for actual divers. ROVs are able to carry out initial inspection work and can remove the need for divers to dive in unknown and potentially hazardous conditions.
The Underwater Centre also offers ROV training. Please contct us for more details.
I am worried about safety, how much of an issue is it?
We are the only training centre in the world to be approved to train all levels of Health & Safety Executive approved courses, and we are committed to the highest standards of safety. Within the diving industry safety is paramount. A commercial surface supplied diver will have at least three sources of air, be attached to the surface so they can be found quickly, a standby diver ready to carry out a rescue if required and a supervisor whom you can talk to and is charged with keeping an eye on time, depth and your safety. In reality there is far more injuries and deaths in recreational diving than there is in commercial diving.
The main purpose of commercial diving is to go to work, earn money go home and spend it.