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I am 15 years old and recently watched a programme on TV about offshore commercial divers. I have been diving for just over a year and I would like to one day be able to become a commercial diver. What do you have to do to become one, and is there schools in the UK (preferably Scotland) that teach all that is required to become one?
Diving is how you get to the job site. Most Commercial Divers are into repair and construction. If you want to be on the top of your game and be employable, you need to have a construction skill. Start off by becoming a welder or rigger, get some construction experience and then get trained in commercial diving. The commercial schools are full of students that are inadequately trained to do the job, but can dive.
As far as a school is concerned, I'd recommend The Underwater Centre in Fort William. Steve Ham is the General Manager.
Added: The future looks encouraging for the diving industry, but the people in demand must be excellent workman. If you can do the job and have a ticket, you're 100 times better off than someone who can't do the job, but has extensive diving qualifications. Give Steve or one of his instructors a call, I'm sure they'll try to help you out. You can also send me a private message and I'll try to answer any questions or concerns that you might have. Good luck!
Fortunately, by the time you are old enough to go to school, the market will have turned around. There is good money in being a commecial diver if you like to work hard. What was said about being a rigger, welder, pipe fitter will take you far.
It must be said that I do not know 5 commercial divers that are happily married and have good relationships with their children. In fact, nearly every commercial diver I know is divorced and/or an alcoholic. I'm one of the five who is neither. I think it would be impossible to convince me that being a commercial diver and having a great family life with wife and children is easy.
Good luck in your endeavors. I would love to see the industry change for the better while i'm still young enough to partake in it.
I wouldn't say easy, but it's doable if it's a priority. If you have a full-time position with a good company and work hard, you can make a good living and move-up the ladder to senior management. My kids were home schooled by my wife for a few years and experienced opportunities that few have had.
I suppose it's how you look at it. In today's society Moms and Dads can be at the office and away on business trips quite often. Some kids live with baby sitters or day care. I was able to afford to not have my wife work and was able to spend a lot of time with my kids when they were growing up.
I know what you're saying, but you do what's important to you. If that's a focus on the family, you find a way. I can't of course comment on the experience of others, only my own.
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