Get Paid While Working Under Water

Fifty years ago, a career in diving meant joining the U.S. Navy. Today, people face a wide range of options for diving careers. Commercial divers must be able to thrive under harsh conditions and require education beyond open-water certification.

Virtually anywhere there's water, there's typically a need for commercial divers, whether it's in oceans, rivers, lakes, containment ponds, or elsewhere. With more than 250 marine construction and contracting firms in the U.S. and about 350 diving contractors working overseas, it's a far-flung and reaching field.

The work is as varied as the waters of the world. The opportunities in commercial diving include, but aren't limited to: underwater construction and other work; marine environmental control testing; platform construction, maintenance, and removal; drilling and blasting; salvage; seismic surveying; sewage (and other) line installation and maintenance; trenching; underwater surveys; gravity surveying; oil rig work; using remotely controlled underwater vehicles; diving bell usage and maintenance; wellhead repair and maintenance; many medical fields; hyperbaric chamber work; and much more. Of course, the locations are as unique as the job opportunities, with the Gulf of Mexico, the South Pacific, the Mediterranean, and the North Sea just a few of the possibilities.

Naturally, commercial diving education is much more intense and lengthier than most recreational diving programs. This includes up-to-date theory, but it also features hands-on training and experience concerning specific underwater problem solving and work. There's also interesting topside work such as analyzing the results from underwater projects. The higher level of training required in commercial diving usually means more lucrative positions.

As with recreational diving education programs, it's best to check out all the options. Consider similar factors and ask lots of questions. For instance, is the school a member of the Association of Commercial Diving Educators (ACDE) and the Association of Diving Contractors (ADC).

Schools in the commercial diving field report that job opportunities are better than ever. With a wide range of specialized courses and programs, it's easy to find a specific field of interest, complete the training, and pursue a great career in commercial diving.


Commercial Schools:

The Ocean Corporation
Founded in 1969, The Ocean Corporation is located on a 4.2 acre campus in Houston, Texas, close to the hub of the world diving industry, the Gulf of Mexico. Training includes the Ultimate Diver Training course, which meets or exceeds the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards for entry-level commercial divers. This course also qualifies graduates for other careers, including Hazardous Materials, Non-Destructive Testing/Inspection, and Remotely Operated Vehicles. The school offers 30-week classes, and a new class starts every five weeks.

800-321-0298, fax 281-530-9143, admissions@oceancorp.com, www.oceancorp.com


Commercial Diving Academy
Commercial Diving Academy is an outstanding training facility for offshore and inland commercial diving certification. We are located in Florida on the St. Johns River just miles from open ocean. Our divers train in 20-foot tanks for their initial dive orientation and quickly move into the river to train in a real world environment. The river is low visibility with strong tidal currents and depths to 40 feet, providing an ideal training condition. Our program exceeds the ACDE/ANSI standards for commercial diver certification and you are certified to work in only 16 weeks. Training is intensive and comprehensive (50 hours/week). Housing is provided.

1-888-974-2232, www.CommercialDivingAcademy.com, 8137 N. Main St., Jacksonville, FL 32208


Portions Reprinted with permission from Scuba Diving - The Magazine Divers Trust