Is it crazy thinking that I wanna be a commercial diver?

[SuperCT]

I've recently toured one of the dive school in Ontario, the Seneca underwater skills program. The school seems pretty good and all, and when you complete the program you have all the necessary certs and stuff to dive all over Canada and pretty much the world.

First let me say that I already have a somewhat stable job in the tech field. I do enjoy diving on my time off. And I'm at age 31. I read somewhere that most start off young somewhere in their mid-20s or something like that. Is it odd to be thinking of a career change into commercial diving at this age? I guess it can be called a mid-life crisis or whatever...

I'm guess you say that I'm a relatively new diver, having only 6 dives and about 4 hours of bottom time in about 8 months time. It's always on the back of my mind to dive into this career field (no punt intended )

What are you thoughts? Especially for those who have gone through the Seneca underwater skills program.
Is there much work inland say in the province of Ontario?
Other places I would be looking at would be out west in British Columbia or Alberta
How's the money?
And what's the average career life of a commercial diver (before one would stop diving commercially, barring any medical conditions)?

Interested in hearing from any commercial divers, especially those who work in Canada.

 

[Darol]

Yes, it is.

6 dives and about 4 hours of bottom time.

31yrs old.

But I'm sure stranger things have happened.

 

[DeepSeaDan]

I've recently toured one of the dive school in Ontario, the Seneca underwater skills program. The school seems pretty good and all, and when you complete the program you have all the necessary certs and stuff to dive all over Canada and pretty much the world.

First let me say that I already have a somewhat stable job in the tech field. I do enjoy diving on my time off. And I'm at age 31. I read somewhere that most start off young somewhere in their mid-20s or something like that. Is it odd to be thinking of a career change into commercial diving at this age? I guess it can be called a mid-life crisis or whatever...

I'm guess you say that I'm a relatively new diver, having only 6 dives and about 4 hours of bottom time in about 8 months time. It's always on the back of my mind to dive into this career field (no punt intended )

What are you thoughts? Especially for those who have gone through the Seneca underwater skills program.
Is there much work inland say in the province of Ontario?
Other places I would be looking at would be out west in British Columbia or Alberta
How's the money?
And what's the average career life of a commercial diver (before one would stop diving commercially, barring any medical conditions)?

Interested in hearing from any commercial divers, especially those who work in Canada.

Hmmmm...

Here is a reality check: There are ALOT of dive schools churning out ALOT of divers, worldwide. Those who will succeed are likely bringing something else to the jobsite with them, such as a trades ticket ( welder/pipefitter, mechanic, electrician, carpenter, heating/air cond. tech etc. ), or some other plum experience &/or training that will put them well ahead of those simply waving their dive school cert. I was 21 ( in 1980 ) when I started, & for 10 years ( not consecutive ), I had the time of my life - but the diving life - she is a demanding mistress my friend! The best money is in the offshore oil patch, but that industry is subject to the vagaries of the world economy - boom/bust cycles being the way of it. Inshore work can be had, sometimes at union scale, but you better like diving shallow, in little to no visibility, doing very hard labor.

At 31, to take a run at this, you'd better want "the life" more than anything else. If I were you, I'd stick to my day job & just have fun diving; there is alot to see & do in the sport, which may scratch your diving itch sufficiently.

Go to longstreath.com and www.offshorediver.com and do alot of reading - you'll get a good understanding of what's involved.

Cheers,
DSD

 

[Bombay High]

Don't do it..
To make any worthwhile money you need to get into Sat.
I dont think you have a realistic picture of what its going to be like.
Stick to what you do now.
I would.
But I started when I was 16.

 

[DMJohn]

SuperCT, I have no direct experience in commercial diving but have friends that did the commercial gig for a few years. I know they would advise against it at your age and experience level.

Is your real desire to dive commercially or to become a professional diver/turn diving into a career? If your reason for considering this is because you love diving and wish you could turn it into a career then have you ever considered training to become a divemaster? DM's don't make much money, if any at all, but in your area it could become a fun weekend job. It will also be way cheaper than paying thousands of dollars to a commercial diving school with no job guarantee at the end.


My advice, FWIW, start diving more, take lots of specialties, become a Master Diver and if you still love diving then train to become a divemaster and see how it goes.

 

[SuperCT]

Thanks for the input.

Truth be told, this has been on the back on my mind for quite sometime. But thinking about it more so lately, and that is why I had gone to Seneca to take a look at the program in person.

I realize it would be a complete change for me, but something I would be willing to go through with it. Only thing I wanted to be sure of is that when I complete the program that there would employment. I realize it would not be as easy as someone waiting for us to get out of school and people are there just waiting to snap you up for a job, but rather just like any other job, searching for employment and stuff, such as sending out CV/resumes.

Hopefully this will give an idea of what's on my mind.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

A friend used to have a commercial dive company. Most of the divers were ex-navy. They were paid on a union scale - Carpenters IIRC. Most work was in less than 12 feet of water from what he said. It was like working by braille - zero viz. He lost the company in a divorce.

I think a lot of the routine work was zebra mussel control.

 

[DivingOtter]

People told me i was too old at 28. I didnt do it to become rich, but coming from the Army i knew a desk job wasnt for me and I would rather make less money and enjoy what I do than make a little more and mentally struggle through it. An example is my friend who was a stockbroker he made an insane amount of money but the stresses of dealing with OTHER peoples money and the calls of i saw this stock went down blah blah. He would leave work get home and work even more concentrating on the market. in the end he quit, took about 6 months off to surf around the world and now works at his fathers company and couldnt be happier. Now thats not to say this industry isnt full of its stress, timelines, rough working conditions and time away from home but in the end its your choice on the life you want. If i took every negative comment i read online about the industry headed south, I was too old, or you have a family its not going to work I would still be in a community college for business administration and hating every second of it. There are pros and cons to both sides of the fence so think cautiously but dont let it discourage you from doing something you really want to do. The reality of what i have seen so far is some people got jobs right after graduation because they were willing to travel, bounce from project to project and deal with instable pay. The others that i have seen graduate 6 months ago saying " yeah i keep looking theres no jobs out there!" yeah, well they also are looking for jobs 5 mins from home with benefits, 401k and a paycheck every week. An instructor i knew before graduation said who became divers because they thought it was an interesting career.. maybe 5 people raised their hands. then he said who did it for the money? about 15 went up.

 

[kingme]

You only live once. Don’t go the rest of your life coulda woulda shoulda. I was suppose to be an under water welder but **** the bed weld above sea level. Moved onto machinist and that is getting old fast. Now at 27 it’s time to put up the money and just do it… just do in man.

Dust off your dollar bills and pay for the course, now you’re committed. Don’t look back until you’ve completely exhausted your want/need to do it, or anything else in life for that mater.



Money isn’t real anyway.

 

[Salt Dog]

I can always make more money, it's nothing but fancy paper (cotton really) I'm a vet who has a second income anyway, so screw it I'm doing it. VA is paying for me to attend so I am not incurring any debt. I see it as a win win, even if I end up not finding a job, I'll have all the certs and be employable on terra firma.