Any Women Commercial Divers Out There?

[Reefwrecker]

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up
and I'm toying with the idea of going to school to become a
commercial diver. Are there any other women out there that
are doing this? Any suggestions on which school is best and
which one to avoid?

 

[caveseeker7]

Unusual job for woman, I gather. I've met only one who had gone through that sort of training, Lacy Taylor.

She graduated from Santa Barbabra City College's Marine Technology Department. The program is well known and respected, unique in that it is from a community college and offers an A.S. degree in Marine Technology. It covers various aspects of commercial diving such as mixed gas, saturation and surface supplied diving, hyperbaric chamber and bell operation, ROV operation and much more.

Afaik Lacy never worked in the commercial industry, instead buying the dive shop she worked at during college. Santa Barbara is a very addicting place, I lived there for seven years rather than the planned three for college. Lacy turned the shop,
Anacapa Dive Center into the best in town, offering everything from swimming classes for children to trimix and rebreather training. The people at the shop are, in true Santa Barbabra fashion, very laid back and friendly. I stop by any chance I get. If you want to contact her chances are she'll take the time and answer questions. And give her my regards.

Stefan

 

[Kevrumbo]

After just completing an intensive training course in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and subsequently starting my Internship, hopefully to finish next year with Board Exams & Certification as a Hyperbaric Technician, I would recommend this as a potential Career Field:
http://www.natpoly.edu/Programs/ExtLearning/Courses/CHT.html?Node=8414
(I was the only non-Physician in the Class!)

Fascinating seminar on the applications of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for not only Diving Accidents, but also Wound Care (i.g. Diabetic Foot Ulcers; Bed Sore Ulcers; Necrotizing Fasciitis –“Flesh-eating Bacteria”; Gas Gangrene etc.), Burns and other specialized treatments (i.e. Cerebral Palsy; near drowning Cerebral Hypoxia etc.). Took a tour of UCLA's Large Multiplace Chamber as part of the program. With the Baby Boomer Generation getting on in age, Wound Care Treatment Personnel will certainly be needed in the coming years.

The demand is there for CHT’s, and if can get a Registered Nurse (RN) Degree along with that, you can pretty much work wherever in the World you want to with a fairly decent income too . . .much less strenuous & hazardous than being a Commercial Diver!
http://www.nbdhmt.org/index_ns.htm
http://www.uhms.org/Indications/indications.htm

 

[Cold_H2O]

My daughter is 19 and currently enrolled at Divers Institute of Technology in Seattle WA.
She loves it. She is one of about 5 females in the school.
They offer a 7 month program.
You can check them out on line at www.diversinstitute.com
They were the technical advisors for the movie Men of Honor and trained the actors. If you have a DVD copy check out the special features section. They did a short informational clip about the school and the training.

Good luck. Look for a program that offers many certs.and a wide variety of training. Rumor has it that DIT is the best training facility in the world. Many if not all of the instructors either still work in the field or have many years experience actually working as a commercial diver. Many are retired Navy divers.

The training is not cheap. The school is tough. But if you love diving and this is what you want to do you can do very well. Just remember as a woman you will have some issues to work thru. Every "diver" must prove themselves, as a female diver you might have to prove yourself more than once. But the payoff of doing what you love is worth the additional effort IMHO.

On a personal note ~
My daughter is not quite 5' tall weights 110 fully dressed. She is ranked second in her class. One older ex Navy diver is #1. She is the youngest and the smallest in the school.


Hope this is helpful. PM me if you would like to talk about this more. I am sure my daughter would be willing to exchange emails and let you know how it really is being a girl in a mans career ~ At least the training side of it.

 

[Bob3]

Here's a little more reading material: http://www.angelfire.com/ca/divers3/diveinfo.htm

 

[rmediver2002]

There are a few women divers working offshore in the gulf, in my opinion this would be one of the more difficult assignments for a woman (only because of the living arrangments provided offshore)

The military has many woman divers working in construction, explosive ordinance disposal, and ships husbandry diving. (Army, Navy, Sea-Bee, Navy EOD, Navy saturation NEDU)

Women also work doing inland commercial diving.

 

[pipedope]

Lots of the work I did working inland in Florida is much easier for a smaller person.


It is much more about knowledge and skills than size and strength and there are more women in the field every day.