Commercial Diving School
Are you ready to become a commercial diver? If so, there are some important steps that you must take before landing a high paying position. First, it is important to obtain a commercial diving license through one of the accredited and industry recognized commercial diving schools. But, before you jump into a commercial diving program, you should really consider the implications of this line of work.
A Professional Diver Education
Do you enjoy being around and in water? If you hate swimming, then maybe this career is not for you. Are you claustrophobic? Diving projects often require work in tight spaces with low visibility. Are you a team player who will trust other team members to keep you safe? Commercial diving is a team effort and requires communication, knowledge and trust. Are you physically up to the challenge of commercial diving? Before beginning commercial diving training, you will need to take a diving aptitude test to determine your ability to succeed in diving school.
Once you have passed the diving aptitude class, you will be able to attend a commercial diving school (Here is a list of some of the popular Commercial Diving Schools, they are found below the list of diving companies). Here you will receive specialized dive training under close supervision. Some of the common commercial diving courses you will take may include: Offshore survival training, diver theory refresher, diver competence assessments, continued dive theory, underwater salvage, underwater explosives, underwater cutting, underwater welding, and surfaced mixed gas to name a few.
Different commercial dive schools will offer the basic commercial diver training and may have specialty courses that run for differing lengths of time. As a result, it is important to pick a commercial dive school that will not only lead to a recognized commercial diving certification, but that is also an underwater welding school or other specialized training facility.
In addition to the skills that you will acquire through one of the commercial dive schools, there are some skills that you can begin developing prior to attending dive school. These skills will help you to be a more competitive applicant after certification so that you can stand out from the crowd of other commercial divers.
Additional Commercial Diving Skills
One of the challenges of marine salvage is that salvage divers routinely face underwater tasks with new twists and requirements. An underwater salvage operation may require strict record keeping and documentation of an archaeological site, underwater mapping, dredging, welding, burning, rigging as well as other tasks. Of these skills, one is incredibly important and can greatly improve the value of a salvage diver.
While most commercial divers would claim to have excellent underwater rigging skills, many divers are too used to the comforts of working in clear water high visibility conditions. When faced with the murky water found in many inland environments as well as excavation sites, many commercial divers struggle to rig even simple structures.
As a result, superior underwater rigging abilities will add tremendous value to a divers skill set. While rigging may not sound as glamorous as a skill such as underwater welding, rigging is a very practical skill that can be used frequently on a variety of commercial diver jobs in and out of the water. By taking the time to gain some out of the water rigging experience prior to commercial diving academy, you will be more prepared to take on rigging tasks in underwater settings.
A salvage diver who can visualize a recovery target in poor visibility and determine the best pick points in black out conditions is a valuable asset to have on any project. Due to the nature of marine salvage, the items to be recovered may be extremely fragile or may be evidence needed for a criminal investigation that should remain intact. Learning how to effectively rig such objects in poor conditions is a skill every salvage diver should work to develop.
Additionally, it is helpful to develop basic welding skills prior to enrolling in a commercial diver school. Taking a welding class from a local community college is a great way to boost your skill level as a diver and can result in higher dive pay. (List of Welding Schools.)