I'm looking for a few answers about commercial dive schools. I've looked at them all from the West coast to the East coast to LA and TX. The thing is i can't seem to get any striaght answers from the private schools about what certs i will get and how much they will help me. So is it worth it to go to an expensive school and do most companys look at what schools you went to? I'm interested in all aspects of commercial diving! The other thing is i'm 31, but in great shape and have 9 years of Naval service (couldn't be a Navy diver since i'm colorblind) will any of these factors play any part in companys willing to hire or even give me the oppertunity to prove myself? Any help is great. I just love to dive and am a stellar worker i just want to put my dedication to the underwater world.
Commercial dive schools
- Thread starter NAVYGUY
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You might want to contact TxTed here on scubaboard. He is currently in a commercial dive school in Houston. You can get an insiders view from him. I'm not sure how often he comes onto scubaboard anymore, but you can also contact him at tedglodowski@aol.com
Arcaporale
Contributor
college of oceaneering is one of the best, based in LA, San Diego and honolulu. working in a commercial dive shop, i know it's hard work if you want to be a diver, and even harder just to find work, unless you do med tec and work in hyperbarics. expect to pay a pretty penny for school, plus you need to buy alot of you own gear for school. and once you do find work you'll need a $7000 helmet and a $2000 suit, some jobs may provide this stuff for you, but it's only loaned to you. also you'll have to spend 2-4 years as a dive tender before getting wet, but if you work hard and are dedicated to it, the rewards are great
covediver
Contributor
NAVYGUY:
Thank you for your service.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but you may be too old to be starting in commercial diving. There is a reason that Navy divers can't enter the program after a certain age (it use to be 27, as I recall).
I hate to say it, but commercial diving, especially the deep sat diving is a young person's game or is for someone who started doing it as a youngster. Opportunities for late entry divers, while they exist, seem to be quite limited. I looked into this about 20 years ago and was told point blank to do something different. That was when oil field diving was in decline. A few years ago, I met a gentleman at the LA Scuba show who went to a commercial dive school on the West Coast and was lamenting the fact that he had just shelled out a ton of money only to find that no one would hire him. He thought as a dive medic it would be different but it wasn't. I have heard this from a couple of late-age entrants. So please check this out very carefully. Given your stated enthusiam for what yuo want to do, I hope that you find that my point of view is in error.
Commercial dive ops won't tell you this for a number of reasons. The first is they want your tuition, there are exceptions to the age thing that prove the rule, and there is always a concern about getting hit with an age discrimination complaint (although age discrimination usually applies to people 40 or older).
Have you looked into other related activities, such as ROV operators? And have you looked at non-commercial dive schools, such as the Marine Technology Program at Santa Barbara City College? As a public institution, they take a bit longer, the training is as good if not better, and it might be less expensive.
I do hope things work out for you. For what it is worth, I got into the ocean business at about your age, it just did not involve diving as a primary means. It has been a great ride.
Arcaporale
Contributor
covediver is right, he seems to know his stuff on this one, it is difficult to find work thats why alot of the schools offer lifetime job placement help, however i hear that there is a high demand for qualified hyperbaric tecs outside of the diving industry.
thanks for all the inputs. i know i may be a little older but i'm very fit and very intergized about the field. if anyone knows any commies out there i would like the chace to talk with them and see if my life long dream is a reality or a shot in the dark.
Oh by the way, thanks for serving. My son is in the Navy. He is on the USS Enterprise. I was lucky enough to join him and the officers and crew of the Enterprise on a "Tiger Cruise" from Lisbon Portugal to Norfolk back in November. It was quite an experience!
NAVYGUY:
Check out Louisiana Technical College Young Memorial Campus in Morgan City Louisiana
you will get the most bang for your buck and the training is top notch. The school is also in Morgan City which is where alot of the big Commercial Diving Companies are located.
I went there in 2004 and I saved over $10,000 compared to the private schools.
here is there web site
http://www.commercialdiveschool.com/diving/
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