Female Commercial Divers

[JohnB47]

On the Website divebuddy.com, there is a woman who goes by the handle DiveGoddess. She is a commercial diver. She could probably give you some insight.

Good luck!

 

[Becky Goodwin]

Thanks for the answers

 

[Dcdiver407]

I finally joined this site just to respond to this thread...that I stumbled upon after I finished reading a product review forum. I have only browsed around here every once in a while.

First of all, I am impressed by all the considerate and generous feedback given by so many men! I really expected more women to chime in. So I'll be one of the few!

MY TIPS:
1. Do this ASAP while you're still young...don't wait any longer. I'm almost 40 and I have to be a lot more careful. Women aren't built as durable as men. Your paycheck depends on your good health.
2. Don't act like a man to succeed. Swearing, smoking, dipping, bad attitudes, short tempers, and other habits are not only bad for your health, they are not necessary to "prove" yourself. Be known for good hard work, not for hazing the new guy.
3. That being said, that "Women, pave the way by being women," not whiners. Don't flaunt and flirt to "win" promotions. You know where I'm going with this one. Moving on...
4. Listen and learn from everyone. Good and bad. Pay attention and be the best you can. Workout. Study.
5. It's not always about muscle. Plenty of jobs are good for us women: confined/small spaces, tedious/detail work, tight spaces for small fingers, etc. Variety of experiences will serve you well. Ive never been, nor do I want to go, off-shore. It's not impossible tho.
6. Find your own motivation. Sometimes it's mentally or physically hard. If you are the only female at work, will you get lonely? Don't give up just because your dive sup "corrected" you harshly, or your mother wants you to come home. You will get hurt, or hurt others, if you can't take your mind off your boyfriend while working.

I agree with the guys: your experience with trades/skills is more important than just diving. If you are not handy for something, nobody needs you for anything. I have marine biology degree, know light construction and electrical, a little experience welding, videography, NDT, and more. Sometimes the job requires an expert, but usually the best asset to a company is a diver that can do a LOT of different things well enough.

Best of luck!

 

[chrisski]

There WAS one out of U.C.C's Michigan office and HAS been one for years out of Connecticut, Vandee Smith.
Worked with her for two years in nuc.'s and mud. She's also got her weld certs. Does she have the upper body strength of a 6'2" 200# er,
of course not. Shes 5'1"... Shes a good diver and don't take bunk. Worked with her on a few outages and mud projects.
my .02

 

[Heliumthief]

Just for the record, I've worked with 3 female divers inshore UK, and know of about 6 more, and know of a couple more with Sat tickets, alhough coming by a Sat as a female in the North sea is still a bit tricky. Kinda strange that diving is still lagging behind everyone else Offshore. On most Platforms and many vessels, a female on board is not the notable occurrence it once was. I think in many 'older' heads, they have a vision of a model teetering up the gangplank in stillettoes, and forget that there are female Rugby players, Boxers, Soldiers, hell, even female murderers! Not that hard to believe a female can become a Diver, especially if you can specialise as a welder, or Inspection Diver, and I hear that there's quite a few of 'em that do that Scuba Diving we've been hearing so much about...
the main stumbling block for getting into Sat appears to be elderly, bald fat men worrying about farting in the chamber, and beating her obviously inevitable amorous advances off....