Earning a living?

[got2av8]

So are there actually full-time, living wage jobs available for divers outside of owning/operating an LDS and teaching classes here and there? Don't get me wrong, I'd really like to be an instructor one day, but what types of job opportunities are really available beyond that for someone who wants to be a diver full-time? Is there any such thing as a full time diver?

So far in my brief experience, I've met a handfull of instructors who "moonlight" as volunteer S&R personell; everyone else I know is in it for the fun. I'm not (yet) considering a change in careers myself, but I don't even really know what questions to ask about where scuba could eventually take me. All of the magazines I've come across so far are pretty much oriented to dive tourism/recreational diving. I've heard vague descriptions of "technical" diving, but no one's really been able to tell me just what one would use such skills for.

Any/all job descriptions more than welcome...

 

[tdinindy]

It can be very difficult making a living, it can be done, Not going to get rich and you have to do dock work shop work and anything needed during bad times. Most have 2 jobs. Like Me. But I really love teaching.

 

[Mike Veitch]

If you want to work full time, your best bet is to become a dive guide/instructor somewhere in the tropics. A lot of these are not great paying jobs but some are.
Liveaboard workers can make $3000 or more per month with tips and commissions. Also no living expenses for them.
But land based operations can make a lot as well, places in the Caribbean tend to have a lot of open water and discover scuba, if you can find a place that pays a good commission then that is good money.

Besides, who wouldn't rather live in the tropics on a nice sandy beach with 80 degree plus water all year round!

 

[rmediver2002]

What is your background? (what do you do currently)

Educational / scientific diving - a diving safety officers job is to ensure scientific projects are planned and conducted in accordance with an organizations diving policy (normally within the university system). Normally these individuals also teach from basic through advanced diving techniques as well as first aid, O2 delivery, and CPR to ensure the divers within the system are kept current.

Federal programs - NOAA, EPA, Customs, FBI, US Army / Navy / Coast Guard / Marine Corp / all have divers.

Aquarium dive programs - also normally directed by a diving safety officer, most of the divers are normally volunteer but the DSO is the one that manages the diving and training for the aquarium

Commercial diver - depending on whether you work inland (civil) or offshore you could be doing anything from jetting trenches in mud to fitting flanges in decent visibility

There are other jobs that allow you the oppertunity to dive often that are more equipment focused. (equipment rep, writer, PSD, photographer)

 

[Gary D.]

So are there actually full-time, living wage jobs available for divers outside of owning/operating an LDS and teaching classes here and there? Don't get me wrong, I'd really like to be an instructor one day, but what types of job opportunities are really available beyond that for someone who wants to be a diver full-time? Is there any such thing as a full time diver?

So far in my brief experience, I've met a handfull of instructors who "moonlight" as volunteer S&R personell; everyone else I know is in it for the fun. I'm not (yet) considering a change in careers myself, but I don't even really know what questions to ask about where scuba could eventually take me. All of the magazines I've come across so far are pretty much oriented to dive tourism/recreational diving. I've heard vague descriptions of "technical" diving, but no one's really been able to tell me just what one would use such skills for.

Any/all job descriptions more than welcome...

I get $.50 an hour on top of my regular wages. Lets see, thats $20.00 a week, $40.00 a pay period, $80.00 a month or $960.00 a year. Makes an minimum wage job look good. ;^)

Gary D.

 

[opiniongirl]

You can make a decent living - but you have to treat it like a business. Prior to almost getting killed breathing gas flooded with CO and entrained oil...

I earned an average of $5000 / month teaching and managing a store part-time - and find working for peanuts unacceptable due to the risk. We had a small team of instructors, not in a "cattle c-card mill" LDS, and we all did extremely well. In a cold-water environment - but we were a team of people with the same goals - be safe, have fun, make money. You have to treat it like a business - if it's a hobby, fine, but you won't make money that way.

You can do extremely well in the tropics - cruiselines, and private yachts, talk to people who make a lot of money in this business, and learn how they do it. I have never worked in the tropics, but have trained instructors who have almost immediately landed upscale positions - a lot of it is in the attitude, but also in the information you receive.

Bottom line - it dosen't matter where you are located - find a successful model, and learn from it.

 

[got2av8]

Thanks for the responses so far everyone...

Maybe I should make my question a little more clear. I understand (in a general way) the kinds of services a LDS here in the states or tourisim-oriented shop (in the Caribbean for example) would provide, and the kinds of duties an employee at such a shop might be called upon to perform (instruction, sales, maintenance, dive-leader, etc.). I also have a general understanding of how Search & Rescue/Recovery divers are utilized.

What I DON'T understand, or rather what I'm interested in learning more about, would be along the lines of just who would employ a full-time diver, and for exactly what purpose? RMEDiver2002 mentioned NOAA and several other government agencies. Do these organizations (other than the military, I know a little too well how they work) actually recruit and emploly divers full-time, or are their needs handled on a "contract worker" basis?

I've just never (outside of the recreational industry) met someone who's job description read "SCUBA Diver", and I wondered 1)If it actually exists, and 2)What it entails. (Of course the ideal would be living somewhere like St Johns with a "six pack" license and my own boat, but that fantasy's a little ways down the road...) In the meantime, where does a "commercial diver" look for work? What's necessary to call yourself a "commercial diver"?

 

[rmediver2002]

NOAA, EPA, Customs, FBI, train agents / employees to be divers, they do not hire out unless the situation (haz-mat is one example) calls for a more qualified team (commercial)

NOAA does have one job description that I have always found pretty cool, fisherman (you go out and catch specific species for research being conducted) I figure that combined with a dive rating would be a pretty great job...

For information on commercial diving check out:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/commercialdiving/

The ANSI training standard is on the site as well.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

If your prior military do you have the GI bill? (it will pay for training and for some people (disability) equipment)

 

[got2av8]

Thanks for the link, RMEDiver. That should give me a place to start. I appreciate the tip.

 

[DennisS]

NOAA has a couple of people that work full time at the dive training center in Seattle. The rest of the divers work as scientists or ships personnel, deckhands, survey techs, cooks, officers etc. They dive as required for projects and must dive once a month to stay current. Diving is not their primary job. The fisherman job is pretty much a deckhand job, you're using winches and such to pull nets.

The NOAA shipboard jobs are a great way to see the world and put away money. You have room and board on the ships, weekends are overtime, and great benefits.

http://www.moc.noaa.gov/emp_ops.htm