Underwater welding is becoming an increasingly demanded skill for a commercial diver to possess. While training to be an underwater welder can be a difficult and intensive course, once qualified – underwater welding can be an invaluable skill for a commercial diver to hold.
In the past underwater welding was not always seen as a viable option for construction or maintenance, often the work would be done on the surface as underwater welding was not always seen to meet appropriate standards. Over the past few years, however, underwater welding had found it’s place – underwater welders are trained to AWS (American Welding Standards) whilst many welding courses also qualify the commercial diver to British ISO standards.
Ideally a commercial diver should already possess welding skills before venturing on an underwater welding course however due to ever increasing demand – commercial divers without prior welding experience are training to gain their underwater welding certification, which is why the course is said to be difficult and intensive.
Normally a 2 week program, combining class room studies with surface welding before moving onto underwater welding, normally in a tank supervised by an instructor where they can easily see the progress of the student. Finally at the end of the course the student must demonstrate the ability to make a variety of welds by making a test piece, which is then sent away to a certified testing body. The test weld piece then undergoes stringent NDT (Non-destructive testing) and then destructive testing to determine if the welds were made to an appropriate standard.
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Underwater welder
An experienced welding diver should possess a wide range of skills – they need to be familiar with a large range of underwater diving equipment not to mention possess competent commercial diving skills. They need a sound understanding of diving physiology as should any diver as well as knowledge of rigging, setting up of welding equipment, preparation of the welding area they are to be working in. Other skills will also be required depending on the job i.e. beveling, concrete stripping in order to prepare the surface to be welded.
I know from the web analysis that many divers who visit this site are interested in underwater welding pay. The truth is that the salary of an underwater welder can vary hugely, usually depending on the scope of the project, the depth of diving involved, method of diving and the working environment. Salaries from as little as $15,ooo a year up to $100,000 are possible.
Obviously the underwater welding pay is wonderful if you can get in somewhere near the top end of this pay scale. I would also expect that salaries in the region of $15,000 are fairly uncommon as an underwater welder as the majority of non welding commercial divers earn much more than this.
If you are an underwater welder or are thinking of going into underwater welding please drop us a comment on this article. If you are already an underwater welder and can offer an insight into the type of work you do and levels of pay for an underwater welder feel free to write us your story to be published on Commercial Diving Magazine.
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September 14, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Though my commercial u/w welding experience was limited to "wet" welding, I seem to recall the premiere ( read: BEST PAID ) welder-divers were just that, expert welders who were taught to dive. These lads had years of land welding experience, every welding cert. known to man, & were qualified to perform the most critical welds. They were attracted to the oil patch with the promise of huge money to perform their magic hyperbarically.
This reality holds true across the board with respect to diver's remuneration. You are paid for what you know & what you can do. Lads who come to the job with trade skills ( mechanic, welder, electrician, electronic tech., hvac tech. etc. ) are much sought after as they can provide services above & beyond what the "average" diver can bring to the job. Just having a dive school ticket with no additional skills puts you in a long, long line of offshore wannabees who wil likely have to get a lucky break to get started.
If you get that break, MAKE THE MOST OF IT!! Keep your trap shut & your ears open; work harder than everyone else & stay humble – your goal is to learn, develop a good rep. as a dependable, able hand, and to take every opportunity presented to improve yourself. Play the game right, & you'll make great money & have the time of your life!
Regards,
DSD
January 28, 2012 at 6:09 pm
lol. That diver is burning not welding. There is no welding underwater anymore!
January 31, 2012 at 12:17 am
You can see the earth clamp and notice how the diver has wrapped the work cable around the pipe being welded to reduce the magnetic effects whilst welding.
September 14, 2010 at 11:25 pm
Sounds like some very good advice for new divers there Dan, thank you! In my limited experience to date I would heartily agree with what you've said, especially the part about keeping your head down and working hard with your ears open at all times. Echoes my own experiences.
Are you still working as a commercial diver Dan? Where in the world have you dived?
September 15, 2010 at 1:22 am
Hey Ben,
No, I left the business in 94' after 10 years ( seems to be an average length for an oilfield career ), though I remain interested in "the life", and keep up on what's going on. I am now a full time Firefighter/Medic.
Back in the day I worked some inshore construction, natural gas drilling support in the Great Lakes & across Canada including wild cat drilling in Hibernia & the Beaufort Sea. I also worked Campeche' & S.E. Asia, doing surface air, gas, sat. & some stints as an LST. Most contracts I was the medic for the diving crew, & usually took on the helmet maintenance / tech. job as well. Had some great adventures & met alot of great lads along the way. I've penned a few stories of some of those times ( gee, a diver with "stories" – how odd! ) – I'll post a few here if you like.
I'm still obssessed with diving, having started scuba in 74'. I teach the sport now, & get out diving shipwrecks as much as time allows. Haven't ventured into rebreathers as yet; the technology is pretty cool, but too many experts are buying the farm using these things. I don't know if I want to work that hard at having fun u/w!
So, what is your story Ben?
Regards,
DSD
September 15, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Wow what an interesting career! I can only hope to get as far afield as you've managed by the end of my diving career. Sounds like you've done it all and yes, if you would post some of your stories I'm sure many readers would find them inspiring, informative and educational all at the same time!
I'm currently 1 year into my diving career and up to now have been working as an inshore diver. Just got home from a dive where I conducted a video survey of damage to a pile wall, an enjoyable day!
February 16, 2012 at 10:52 am
On average what do you make as a commercial diver because I keep hearing different things & I’d like to do underwater welding for I hear it is very awarding. I am about to attend the commercial diving academy in Jacksonville FL & could use any extra advise…Thanx
September 21, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Hi there, Ben I found you url on facebook. Great initiative. Tell me what is the Commercial Diver Career-Path? Scuba Diver > Commercial Diver > Underwater Welder > ROV Pilot ??> ROV SuperVisor??
Give me some advice…
September 21, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Hi Khalil, thanks for stopping by!
The commercial diver career path is not so easily defined. There are many routes you can take however most commercial diving courses will include SCUBA training as part of the course if you do not hold a SCUBA qualification. It is also important to distinguish between a Commercial Diving SCUBA qualification and a recreational SCUBA qualification such as a PADI qualification. A PADI diving certificate does not qualify you to work commercially. You will need a commercial diving certificate such as the HSE Professional SCUBA (Part 4).
You are correct in that you have named commercial diver before underwater welder, anyone hoping to undergo underwater welding training must already hold a commercial diving qualification and I believe it must also be a surface supplied certificate as I've not known any commercial diving welding work take place using SCUBA.
As for ROV training, this is now a completely separate career path from diving, it is completely feasible to train on an ROV pilot course without ever having dived before. There are a number of schools that now offer ROV training and some that are hoping to start the courses very soon. Some of those commercial diving training schools I recommend … and a few I don't
Are you hoping to get into commercial diving?
January 27, 2012 at 6:21 pm
i am looking at a career in underwater welding. i was wondering if you could get me and insight on underwater welding. what type of enviornmont will i encounter. th job outlook. places that are available. if you could give me advice on what type of trainingt would keep me a step ahead of the compatition. thank you
January 20, 2011 at 2:46 am
hi there Ben!! i’m interested in underwater welding but my license is just Advance Open Water Diver,EFR,& Equipment Specialist or Adventure Diver. How can i upgrade and where can i take the training?
hoping you can help me.
thanks!!
January 20, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Hi Rizaldy,
So would I be correct in assuming you are a PADI qualified diver?
February 16, 2011 at 3:11 am
yes sir!!
hoping that you could help me upgrade to become a commercial diver!!
February 21, 2011 at 10:08 pm
Rizaldy,
I would suggest you start with an Internet search to see what schools are available where you live. Since I don’t know where that is it’s hard to point you in right direction. If you can narrow it down to a shortlist, get back to me and I can see what’s on offer for you and help you with some recommendations.
February 21, 2011 at 10:57 pm
okay! right now i’m in the Philippines.
January 21, 2011 at 2:34 am
Whats up Ben? I am a welding student, 27 years of age. Once finished with the welding program . I am seriously considering the Commercial Diving Academy in Jacksonville, Fl upon completion.Opinions on this school if any?? With a dry welding cert, commercial diving cert, underwater cert, what is the job outlook for a brand new tender out of school? Am I too old to start?? Don’t blow smoke up my ass….ahah Thanks!! One more question.. is death a common occurance? or is it just a possibility like any other construction related job??
January 21, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Hi Matt, how you doing? I’m afraid I cannot make any recommendations on the Commercial Diving Academy in Jacksonville. I’m a UK diver and have only ever attended diving schools in Britain. I have however heard that school mentioned MANY times before and it seems to be a reputable diving school.
Have you considered giving them a call to discuss your options? I’m sure you’ll find them helpful – I generally always call several diving schools when I’m considering adding an extra diving ticket to my CV.
I’m heading out to Florida in a couple of weeks so I will get in touch with them regarding a visit and look around to get a feel for the school.
As for current diving job opportunities, things seem faitly quiet right now as I’ve had several divers contacting me here on Commercial Diving Magazine and via Facebook asking about work. I will say you are DEFINITELY NOT too old to start, that is a great age to be going into Commercial Diving as you are still young, fit and healthy but old enough to have gained some life experience and to realise that commercial diving is a job that needs to be taken seriously and is work that needs to be done safely.
Death is most certainly not a common occurence, what I found when I became a diver is that, yes indeed it’s obviously a more dangerous line of work than say working 9-5 in an office block however you as a diver are well trained and aware of the risks involved. Just as importantly, the people working around you are (or should be) well trained and aware of the risks. Since becoming a commercial diver I have always found my superivsors and tenders to be excellent and ahead of the curve when it comes to being aware of the safety factors on any particular job and watching out for me while I’m in the water.
Certainly don’t let the safety factor put you off from becoming a commercial diver.
January 21, 2011 at 4:06 pm
thanks, I have talked to the school a few times…The major thing thats holding me back from applying is job outlook, I don’t want to pay for the schooling, and then be stuck with no work….from research on the net, I’m finding most of the work right now is in the gulf of mexico, which i live off of…just worried all the jobs have been taken already….but I will keep my head up and hope for the best….what are all my job options once im certififed? ship yards,offshore,inland,etc , and some description if you don’t mind I would really apprectaite it..Thank you very much for your quick first response..
February 13, 2011 at 6:13 pm
hello matt have you since attended CDA?
February 21, 2011 at 10:09 pm
I actually just got back from Florida and really wanted to check out the Commercial Diving Academy but I was in Central Florida and Jacksonville where it’s located was a further 4-5 hours North so unfortunately I was unable to visit.
February 20, 2011 at 10:10 am
Hi all!
Um… so im only in highschool but very intrigued about underwater welding. Im not set on what to do with my life so far but this sounds like a very exciting job. I was wondering if there is any advice or comments you could give me about some good places to check out underwater welding further; schools, websites, etc. Also any advice that you would give to someone like me….
Thanks!
February 21, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Hi Julie! All credit to you for looking ahead like you are. I take it from your email address you are from the USA? What part?
I’m from the UK myself but there are a couple of reputable commercial diving schools I hear mentioned time and again based in the US so depending on what state you’re from I can point you somewhere to start researching and get started.
To begin with what I will say is that generally you don’t just go straight into underwater welding. It is more common to first do your commercial diver training and then work for say a year or more in a general diving role before choosing something more of a speciality such as underwater welding. You may find once you get started that you prefer the inspection side of diving or maybe something completely different. Of course you needn’t choose one single notch on your belt and adding welding skills to your arsenal will most likely come in useful as a commercial diver.
February 24, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Hey Ben, I’m currently set to get to school in the Divers Institute of Technology in Seattle. I’m wondering if the school is reputable, as it is a fairly hefty investment. I’m a certified surface welder, and I absolutely love it! I grew up swimming nationally in Canada, and really looking forward to combining two passions. There seems to be quite a bit of negativity towards the direction of current job outlook in the industry, which is my primary concern (with the debt). Even as a tender, being available internationally at the drop of a hat, does that significantly increase my prospects of employment? Any advice concerning schools, additional certifications, companies to aim to work for would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Kevin
February 27, 2011 at 7:03 pm
As a welder I very much agree with this “Underwater welding is becoming an increasingly demanded skill for a commercial diver to possess.”
Thanks for the info.
May 7, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Hey there Dan, I am very interested in becoming a Commercial Diver/Underwater welder. I have had a huge interest in this career since I can remember. I am now 20 years old, 21 in June and feel like I am fully ready to pursue this Career. I have looked into about 5 schools, but cannot decide where to go. Is there any key factors I should be looking for in choosing. Also, I am a bigger guy weighing in at 280lbs and about 6’1 in height. I have always been very athletic Playing many sports as a youngster, even presently very active should I be concerned about my weight?
Thanks a ton,
Jake
May 9, 2011 at 11:35 am
Hi there . im 16 going on 17 now finishing my level 3 forensics at college, but im also a certified scuba diver and im looking to make the jump to underwater welding. ive never done welding before but due to the fact i can still have 2 more years of free education i was wondering if it would be a good idea to enter a welding course. im living in norfolk in the uk and ive tryed to look for local school but ive had no luck finding one near my area. also i would like to know what qualifactions are need to start the course including scuba qualifactions.
I would like to hear everyones comeents
thankyou
May 10, 2011 at 11:46 pm
hey I am wondering what type of pay there is in taking the ROV route. I have heard great things and was wondering what you know on the subject.
June 22, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Hello
I am a tourist diver, and I want to practice diving business, I hope that you find answers to the following:
The nearest point of the training you trust them, knowing I am in Sudan
What are the courses and levels available in the training
I have a number 2 sunken ship near the port of Port Sudan on the need to give us a view of the cutting and lifting
These vessels
Thanks
July 11, 2011 at 5:19 am
Hey. So my name’s Brandon, I’m 23 years old, and I’m quite intrigued by the art of underwater welding. I would honestly like to just get my a certificate in commercial diving and go from their to attending underwater welding training for my certificate, and go from their to getting a job. Their’s just one problem, It’s probably not that easy. Should I get extra welding or commercial diving experience first aside from the certificate? And what would be the best school to go to. I only speak English, I’m not Bilingual. I want the best English speaking class in each field. I know these are stupid questions, but I can really use some help. Thanks
July 26, 2011 at 4:05 pm
hey my name is jon and i was looking onto building/ fixing boat docks on the lake but in order to do that i need to become an under water welder, and how much do you think i could make if this was a full time job?
August 4, 2011 at 4:21 am
Hi Ben, just wanted to thank you for your article. I have never aspired to anything until I discovered Hyperbaric welding, and am currently training for the career of my dreams.
-T.
August 4, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Thank you very much Timothy, good luck with your training – please let us know how you get on with the course!
August 10, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Hi everyone… I’m 31 years of age and looking to male a career change. Underwater welding is definitely something that I have been considering.I have read a previous post from someone wondering if 27 is too old, and myself being 31 is wondering the same. Being a certified padi diver I know that this would be something I would enjoy thoroughly. Any thoughts on whether I should “take the plunge”? Thanks
August 11, 2011 at 11:22 am
Hi Eric, thanks for joining in on the site. In my opinion you are definitely NOT too old. And I’m not just saying that because I’m 31
In all honesty the experience you will have gained in other work, especially if you have performed hands on jobs in the past, will help you once you start working as a commercial diver. Being handy with tools etc. is a big bonus. Your age is really irrelevant, your main concerns should be the financial aspect and the likelihood of finding work once qualified.
Recreational diving can be very different from commercial diving though, depending on where you live and work – you may find yourself spending hours in cold water working with no visibility as opposed to a nice open water dive looking at sea life. Something else to consider
December 27, 2011 at 7:14 pm
@Eric @Ben
I’m in the same boat. I just turned 31, reality is settling in, and I am trying to turn my career in a new direction. I am mechanically inclined – do my own home repairs, customize and repair bikes, etc. – but I have no professional experience. I am coming from a background as a videographer and journalist. It’s a huge transition, but, I like working hard, working with my hands, and having variety.
My main concern is mechanical work experience, or lack thereof. I don’t want to go to a dive school and be unemployed for a year. I had previously considered welding and it seems like it would be a good stepping stone for wet welding, but then we are talking about two years of tech school, perhaps another year of work to raise some cash, and then ship off to a dive school.
This is the one question I want honest opinions on: is it foolish of me to go to a dive school right out of the gate?
August 15, 2011 at 1:27 pm
I ben I am a surfice welder i am loking for a degree in u/w welding i am from europe and its not being easy to find can you give-me a few tips i will go were ever i must do be a u/w welder (its a personal achivment)
tanks and nice post u have
always learning!!!
August 17, 2011 at 5:18 am
I am a assistant diving instructor i want to know where can i study underwater welding that is close to the philippines or around asia
August 18, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Hi Prospero, I suggest you start a thread and ask this question on the diving forums. I’m sure somebody can help you there. Good luck!
August 24, 2011 at 5:53 pm
I have just recently started to research what it takes to become an underwater welder. I have no previous experience with either skill. I was just wondering where a guy like me should start?
Thanks,
Logan Fleming
August 25, 2011 at 1:37 pm
Hi Logan, if you have neither experience with diving nor welding I would recommend you firstly concentrate on your commercial diving qualifications and don’t worry too much about welding at first. You need to see what opportunities are available to you for diving work, and if any are look at becoming a commercial diver first and foremost. Then you can look into specialising into the underwater welding if appropriate. You should make a post on the diving forums and see if anyone can help you out with some advice.
September 2, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Hey Ben I want to be an underwater and I am a certified stick welder and I was wondering what other kind of welding skills I need. I’m in the process of upgrading 3 classes so I can keep on going.
September 4, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Hi Cam – to be honest with you it sounds like you’re already more experienced as a welder than the majority of underwater welders I know. Underwater welding isn’t an upgrade of surface welding skills, it’s just a seperate course and if you have that many surface welding tickets already I’m sure you will pass with ease. You may even get a Class 1 on your first attempt.
September 4, 2011 at 9:36 am
Ben,
Great post, however with some experience in this matter I would challenge a few aspects of your post. I completely agree that a diver should have some form of manual labor as a background, when you work for a diving services or diving contractor if “coding” is a requirement of the client then its really the responsibility of the diving contractors to pay for your coding. As it is in most cases coded or not you would need to complete a test piece that’s job specific.
Given that subsea welds are also so brittle, in most cases they aren’t “structural” and therefore its not vital to have perfect welds, also given the conditions such as zero viz etc its also difficult to guarantee the quality.
As a result, i would say that paying for welding tickets, or even the tools parts of your training is a wast of your money. Concentrate on your deck skills and your approach to your work when in the water and diving contractors will sort out your training.
REgards,
VDS
September 4, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Hi Luke (VDS),
Thanks for your comments and yes I agree with you in an ideal world I would say to everyone just get your basic diving qualifications and start working. Let your employers pay for additional skills. Unfortunately this is yet to happen to me, I’ve only been in situations where work ran out and I was forced to pay for additional skills myself in the hope of increasing my employability.
I don’t recommend this to brand new divers though. There’s so much to learn once you start working. Worry about that first.
September 9, 2011 at 6:28 am
Hi Ben,
I currently am working for a welding company and have experience with arc welding but i am not a certified welder. I also have some dive experience off the coast of Jamaica and the Dominican Republic but to most it would probably go under the classifications of very little experience. I am currently living in North Carolina and am very interested in becoming an underwater welder. My school of choice will be the Commercial Diving Academy in Jacksonville, FL. but I don’t think I will be able to enroll for at least another 6-12 months. My concerns are that without currently having any certifications I will be behind the others in my class.
I am only 20 years old and consider my self a very fast learner and an over achiever. Also I have many goals in life that this profession may help and hurt. My overall goal in life regardless of money is to have a happy and loving family and I’m worried if this career choice might hinder my ability to be a good husband and an involved father. I would love to see the world and work hard to make well deserved money but not at the expense of my family.
My plan is to go into this field for anywhere from 5-12 years to gain experience as a diver and enough capital to someday fund my own sport diving adventure type of business. The plan sounds good to me but like I said I am only 20. Is this plan far fetched or a possibility for the future? Also should I become a certified welder and diver while waiting to enroll in CDA or are the certifications something that I can wait for and learn while at the academy and get my moneys worth?
Thank You,
-Matt Marcewicz
September 14, 2011 at 10:48 am
Hi Matt,
That’s some very well thought out planning there for a 20 year old. I’ll talk about your diving qualifications first. In my experience it’s not uncommon to find students in your class at commercial diver training school who have little or no dive experience. When I myself first started I’d only done one scuba dive, it’s not particularly important as scuba diving qualifications are not relevant to your commercial diving career. As long as you know you are confident enough in the water to remove your mask and regulator then put yourself back together without panicking, then you won’t have an issue.
As for the welding, it sounds like you already have a little experience so I wouldn’t invest any further money into certificates right now, save your cash for your commercial diver training, you never know which direction you will go in once qualified.
November 4, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Hi Ben,
I was hoping to gain some advice from you and your colleagues on this site about the natural career path for a commercial diver.
I’m looking to become a commercial diver after having spent 8 years in the British Army.
Could you recommend any UK diving schools to embark on such a career? The main one I was looking at was Professional Diving Academy up in Dunoon, Scotland. Where did you do your diving course?
Also, following research into the career, I noticed that a lot of “old salts” were negative towards new divers, do you find a lot of competition in the commercial diving world?
Thanks,
Martin.
December 3, 2011 at 4:51 pm
My son is a junior in high school. He is very interested in underwater welding as a career. He is already a certified NAUI diver. we have dove in Bonaire, Curacao and river drifts in our area. He can do some welding, as his father has welding tools, but nothing major. we have sent for info from the school in Jacksonville,Fl. We are not sure exactly what route he should take first. He was thinking just going to underwater welding school, but after reading comments on here, not so sure that is the best route. What would be recommendations as to what he should do first or how he should go about this underwater welding?
December 5, 2011 at 8:47 pm
A good idea would be for him to contact local commercial diving companies or those he will be looking to contact once qualified and looking for work. Many companies will advise you that specialising in one thing such as welding is unnecessary unless you have a specific welding job lined up for once he is qualified. Speak to these companies and see if they value the welding certificate in a new diver. You may find some are willing to give him a start simply by being hard working and qualified as a commercial diver. Others may not look at an inexperienced diver too.
December 6, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Sir i am not a diver but want to become a underwater welder. can you tell me about the requirement of that course and from which country and university or college i can do that
January 4, 2012 at 5:51 pm
Chetan there are many diving schools all over the world where you can choose to do your initial diving qualifications and some of these schools will also provide an underwater welding course. I’d advise you to do your own research as much as possible to see which school will suit you in regards to travel and accommodation, not only the courses they offer and any diver training schools extras which can sometimes be thrown in too. Sounds like you are only in the stages of your reseach so I would suggest you Google for some diver training schools near you.
December 21, 2011 at 3:04 pm
What is the honest, general opinion of female commercial divers? I’m considering this career change, but I’d hate to spend the time training and then find that no one will hire females!
January 4, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Erin, personally I would happily work alongside any diver that was willing to do their part and put in hard work. Being helpful and willing to learn is also important and I’d happily work with anyone possessing these qualities regardless of anything else. As from an employers perspective, I cannot say. When I attended my underwater welding course there were two females training on the professional scuba course and they seemed to be integrating well with the group however one was suffering from ear problems at the time and the other was also unable to dive due to some other reason.
December 23, 2011 at 3:32 pm
Hi there, I am considering pursueing a career in diving. I am a Scottish senior ( 5th year ) in Aberdeen and i was wondering which grades and what i would need to make a career in this proffesion ? Finally is work widely available or is there lots of competition for contracts etc ?
many thanks,
Joe.
January 4, 2012 at 5:56 pm
Hey Joe, if you want to get into commercial diving, grades is not so much of an issue as long as you have decent enough Maths and English skills to get on the initial course at a professional diver training school. It’s only a basic test. Work is definitely not widely available and you will no doubt struggle to get your career off to a decent start as do most divers.
January 4, 2012 at 10:04 am
Hello!
I am a high school senior at Fairnbanks, Alaska just about to graduate and I am just wondering if I am on track and seeking a little advice. I have been wanting to pursue in underwater welding ever since I was introduced into welding by my best friends dad in 7th grade, I saw that his dad was pulling in good money from a welding job.I have gotten my hands on some welding before so I get the principles. I would like to become a certified welder while getting a business associates degree as a backup or to come in hand later, but I would be focusing more on my day/night welding classes, I would be attending UAF. After my two years with a business associates and a welding certificate it would not be to hard to find a welding job with a company up North. I would then stick with that company and build a good 3-5 year experience on welding and be saving money at the same time for the $26k underwater welding school in Jacksonville, FL. After that I would look for work on the gulf of mexico or hopefully somewhere warm on an oil rig, thats where I hear the “big dives” are.
So am I on track or at least have the right Idea?
Thank you,
Dan
February 1, 2012 at 7:11 am
I will be turning 35 in june, I was thinking about enrolling in a commercial diving school in San Diego,Ca. I would like to know if 35 is to old to old to get off into diving. And what are my chance’s of getting a job once I got out of school at my age ? Please be truthful with me. Thank you
February 4, 2012 at 5:13 pm
It’s certainly not too old but your chances of getting a job depend on companies in your local area whom I recommend you contact before starting your training. That will help you get a good general idea of the inshore diving industry in California.
February 8, 2012 at 4:24 am
What school in San Diego are you looking to attend?
February 22, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Hello, am a university graduate from Nigeria with no skill in either Diving or welding but i find it interesting to be an underwater welder, please can there be any free training or scholarship to do this course by any individual or company cos i am willing.
March 1, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Hi Ben, I,ve been a certified diesel mechanic for the past 15 years. To which I,m also a certified advanced arc welder and an advanced open water, DPV, And Nitrox diver. I,m 35 years old and am looking to get into a school not too far from where I live at here in the US. I,ve never had any problems diving all these years and I don’t mind welding. I’d just like to do both at the same time. Would you know about the apprenticeships for an inshore diver?.
Thx
Jason
March 29, 2012 at 3:58 pm
Hey Jason, I think you’d be wasting your time seeking apprenticeships but remember I’m British and don’t have any experience of this type of thing in the USA. The best you can manage in Britain is a Career Loan to help fund training which must be paid back. In my experience you will need to find both your diver and underwater welding training yourself, that’s what I did. Good luck mate!
April 18, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Hi Ben
Could you give me some advice please. I am 37 years old, married with 2 children. I am a time served pipe welder and I am seriously considering retraining to be an underwater welder. I want to give my family a better future and financially this seems to be a good option. I think I need to get a Commercial Diving qualification first. I am willing to invest money in to this but I do have concerns that there might not be work for under water welders or indeed that pay rates are actually quite low.
There are so many diving centres and the costs vary – can you recommend any in particular and perhaps tell me if I am in fact going in the right direction to meet my end goal?
Thank you very much – your help would be appreciated!
March 30, 2012 at 9:26 pm
Hi Ben, i would like to ask if there is an working student program in Interdive Svcs. Ltd. Uk.or schoolarship?for diver welder student aplicant. im currrently working onboardship as fitter welder .im interesed in commercial diving. looking for your advice .thanks and more power.
April 14, 2012 at 5:52 am
Hi Ben,
I’m a Canadian B pressure welder I’m 21 years old with experience in welding for 4 years. I am on the fence on which school I should attend and which one would better suit a person who was more interested in the welding side of the trade. I have looked into going to DIT in Seattle WA. At the beginning of next year.
Thanks
May 9, 2012 at 7:39 am
Well, I can’t give any useful comment on the current working diver/welder situation but I was a hardhat diver in the oilfield in the late ’70s to late ’80s in the US, North Sea and SE Asia and then worked harbor and powerplant jobs off and on after that for a few more years as I merged into onshore construction work (structural ironwork, piledriving, etc).
Somethings I would stress after reading through all the posts above is, generally speaking, comercial diving is often seasonal work so the best divers are ‘jack of all #many# trades” and willing to take on various other skilled tasks when no diving work was available for periods of time.
I am not sure how much things have changed within all the different venues that hardhat divers find work but wetwelding opportunities were not all that common. However a dependable welder ( on the surface) is often a very valuable hand and this has gotten me hired on some diving jobs and has kept me working longer on jobs when others were layed off, etc
In otherwords, You need to get to be a competent hardhat diver to get any wetwelding work but the wetstick will probably only be an occaisional part of your diving work, and unless you are working in the offshore oilfield, for most work projects the diving and tending will probably only be part of your duties.
***And =Yes I have seen several females in the industry and they can do just fine.
I won’t go on about this but here is a link to a repost of an old article that may be a useful reality check just to make yourselves aware of the scope of getting started in hardhat diving. Hardhat diving work is not for everyone but the ones that make it Love it and the skills and knowlege I gained then have helped me in many other aspects of other work and life. Good Luck all
http://community.cdiver.net/profiles/blogs/soyou-want-to-be-a-commercial