College and Diving...

[BornToDive627]

Hey All,

So I've been diving for about 4 years, I've done scientific work in NY Harbor. I'm used to the cold, the no visibility, and all of the ****** conditions and I love it. I want to make a career out of it doing commercial diving in NYC. However I want to get a degree first before I jump into it so I can have a backup plan in case I get hurt. I was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers to where I should look. When I do my own research I see a lot of civil engineer divers are needed but for the inshore commercial work in nyc is that really what's needed? Or is it best to find a degree that's of another interest besides diving?

 

[Sekeli]

I'm a commercial diver from seattle, and I went straight to commercial dive school out of high school so I may not be as much help. what I will say is I think this would be a great question for the dive school you're planning to attend. Maybe give divers Academy a call, they are based out of NJ, talk to whoever is helping students find employment. there's always one or two guys constantly in contact with different types companies in the industry. They'll know whats in demand and will be able to help you way more than any of us probably could.

 

[Killerflyingbugs]

In NYC the hardhat divers have a union so jobs may be slow coming at first.

I would get a degree in something that you would want to do if diving doesn't pan out. What if you find out that you get bent easy? They use tables that are less conservative than the Navy uses. Have you tried on a dive hat? I know a few SCUBA divers who had no problems in rec gear but freaked out once the hat was on there heads. Not every one is comfortable with there heads enclosed in a small space.
I am in no way trying to dissuade you in any way, just giving you stuff to think about. I went to dive school right out of high school like Sekeli, and it was great.

I think the need for engineers that are divers is because, in my experience, divers and engineers don't get along, REALLY don't get along. When I worked in the Gulf of Mexico I had to argue with them EVERY time I had to deal with them always the same thing too:

Diver: "The (whatever part they built for the job) don't fit"
Engineer: "Impossible the plans say it fits"
Diver: "I was just down there man it don't fit, we tried every thing, we need to modify it"
Engineer "Impossible the plans say it fits"
Diver: If it fits so nice why can't we get it to fit?"
Engineer: "You must be doing it wrong"
Diver: "IF YOU CAN DO IT BETTER THAN YOU DO IT"* throws whatever is in hand*

New diver sent down with Engineer in control room sees in video that doesn't fit:

Engineer: "The plans say it will fit..."

I kid you not EVERY time... almost verbatim.

 

[BornToDive627]

In NYC the hardhat divers have a union so jobs may be slow coming at first.

I would get a degree in something that you would want to do if diving doesn't pan out. What if you find out that you get bent easy? They use tables that are less conservative than the Navy uses. Have you tried on a dive hat? I know a few SCUBA divers who had no problems in rec gear but freaked out once the hat was on there heads. Not every one is comfortable with there heads enclosed in a small space.
I am in no way trying to dissuade you in any way, just giving you stuff to think about. I went to dive school right out of high school like Sekeli, and it was great.

I think the need for engineers that are divers is because, in my experience, divers and engineers don't get along, REALLY don't get along. When I worked in the Gulf of Mexico I had to argue with them EVERY time I had to deal with them always the same thing too:

Diver: "The (whatever part they built for the job) don't fit"
Engineer: "Impossible the plans say it fits"
Diver: "I was just down there man it don't fit, we tried every thing, we need to modify it"
Engineer "Impossible the plans say it fits"
Diver: If it fits so nice why can't we get it to fit?"
Engineer: "You must be doing it wrong"
Diver: "IF YOU CAN DO IT BETTER THAN YOU DO IT"* throws whatever is in hand*

New diver sent down with Engineer in control room sees in video that doesn't fit:

Engineer: "The plans say it will fit..."

I kid you not EVERY time... almost verbatim.

Yeah I can only imagine the frustration. I have a lot of connections with people in the Local 1556 and I have also been in a Super Lite 27 (which isn't so super light) a couple times just playing astronaut in a pool. I am familiar with the setup of a manifold box as well and just knocking on wood I've never got bent and my computer usually screams at me for going up too fast. I think I'm just conflicted with the idea that if I don't get a degree in engineering I'll never make it in the Commercial Diving Industry. But I'm beginning to realize the engineers are usually topside staying warm and arguing with the divers. I was thinking about a degree in business and then going to DIT and then work my way into the Union. I've known I wanted to do this for a while since I also have experience diving in NY Harbor at such a young age compared to most 18 year olds in the city.

 

[Killerflyingbugs]

If you want to make it as a diver you just need to know you are the baddest mo fo around, and always come out of the water like a F@#$ing hero! Remember the world revolves around divers. ( my favorite commercial diver joke is: How many divers does it take to screw in a light bulb? Only one to hold it, Because you know the world revolves around divers)

The SL 27 is the smallest hat Kirby Morgan makes so claustrophobia isn't an issue.

They call them "superlite" because they are super lite compared to the Mark V hat.

The degree may help a tiny bit, but what Dive ops really want is people who can do the job they are given quickly with as little bitching and whining as possible (there is always some bitching and whining because that's what divers do)

Also you won't have a dive computer or anything like that, when it is time to get off bottom they tell you and pull you out. No longer will you have control of your dive, in all honesty the diver part of commercial diver is just to get you to and from the job site you will mostly be a construction worker that cant usually see what the hell you are doing, and that is the fun part. I actually knew a few killer divers that couldn't swim out of a pool to save there lives.

Be careful on your assent rates, thats when you can get hurt. Your descent you can go as fast as you can, I was able to do 135 fsw in about 30 seconds, pulling my self down the down line. I would try to pull my tender off the deck, and I succeeded on a few occasions . remember bottom time starts when you leave surface, the faster you get to work, the more work you get done on a dive, the more the Dive Supervisor will like you, and they are the ones who puts the word in to the office on who works and who don't.

I would get a degree in something you want if your into engineering than rock it, if you find that kind of thing soul crushing find a major that you like. ( I have heard that there is a lot of engineers out in the job market) It's your life man do what you think will make you the happiest there are to many pissed off people in the world already especially in NYC. ( I heard the pay for good divers up there is INSANE) Good Luck


WOW, that got to be longer than I was anticipating

 

[Bubblesong]

My daughter is both a diver and looking at engineering colleges, and I am encouraging her to look into learning to engineer new types of dive equipment. If you have an engineering degree that can build devices that help solve commercial diving problems, you will be in demand to the end of your days. The dive challenges keep getting more difficult, so nail those science courses!