Navy Diving vs. Commercial diving

[DCBC]

And let's face it- becomming a commercial diver is a tough row to hoe these days, regardless of where you get your training. Competition is fierce, pay is low to start and this ain't the best economy for construction work of any kind. I may just own a small hull cleaning business, but I get calls and e-mails from hard hat divers looking for work all the time.

There's work in the Oil Industry if your experienced and qualified. A well-qualified Diver can make $1000 a day, $1500 for a Supervisor, $2500 U.S. per day as a Diving Superintendent and $3000 per day as a Diving Consultant. It takes years to get to the top, but it can be done.

I'd guess that the calls you're receiving are from on-shore air divers starting out in the industry without full-time positions.

 

[fstbttms]

I'd guess that the calls you're receiving are from on-shore air divers starting out in the industry without full-time positions.

Yeah, like the kid who authored this thread would be. Like I said, becoming a commercial diver ain't no picnic.

 

[muddiver]

Here is a post I made last year.

1 - Contact the Texas National Guard. They have one of the only two Army National Guard Dive teams down around Houston. They are highly motivated to recruit prior service to fill out their team that just recently stood up. That means that they will send you to Army dive school where you will learn what being a working diver is all about. And that training will transition you into the civilian market, all free of cost!

2 - Youngs Memorial College in Louisiana is the least expensive, and accredited commercial diving school in the U.S. All of the other schools mentioned so far are only recreational SCUBA diving programs that want to make you think they are commercial diving programs. Buyer beware! Check the Association of Commercial Diving Educators listing of schools before you sign anything. They all will all show you how you can finance the whole ball of wax and then you WILL be stuck with a debt that can range from $2000 to $15,000 depending on the school.

3 - If you are really serious and want to get a college degree in the process, consider Santa Barbara City College in California, Youngs Memorial in LA (possibly) or National Polytechnic University in San Diego & Wilmington, California offer Associates of Science degrees in Marine Technology.

I highly reccomend that you get a SCUBA certification first and do some diving before you leap off this cliff. You need to know if you like to dive, you are comfotable in an environment that requires life support equipment to survive and if you are interested in living off $30,000 a year +/- $10,000 as a starting wage.

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

My son just went through this issue with the Navy. He graduated basic in december and is in Pensacola for A School. He is in Aviation Electronics right now but wants to do the Navy Diver when he has the time on the job. He had a decent recruiter who informed him that Navy Diver was a secondary job. You can "put in for it" after two years, hence the six year versus four year commitment. The PT requirement (Navy Diver) is much more strict than the regular PT requirement so if you choose this path then prepare yourself. Good Luck

 

[chiefelectusn]

I am very biased in the fact that I think that everyone should do something for his/her country, whether it be the military, peace corp, etc. he/she owes something for the freedoms we have! You do not get something for nothing, you must put something in to get something out. If divng is what you want to do for a living then go for it. Go for it with gusto in what ever way you want, but you will get back what you put in!
There is no finer fraternity/orgaization to belong too than the United States Armed Forces whether active, retired, or to have served. There is no finer training.
(Navy Seebees are the greatest mobile engineers in the world)
Whatever you do young man do it because you want to, do it well, and be pround of what you do!

Chief

 

[DCBC]

Yeah, like the kid who authored this thread would be. Like I said, becoming a commercial diver ain't no picnic.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Starting at the bottom isn't something to be discouraged.

You are not the type of commercial diver "the kid" is talking about becoming, so to quote a previous post you made: What do you know about it?

 

[fstbttms]

Everyone has to start somewhere. Starting at the bottom isn't something to be discouraged.

Not trying to discourage him, just trying to clue him in to the realities of the business.

What do you know about it?

Enough to know that what I posted about the challenges a person faces in trying to get started as a commercial diver are actual. Do you dispute that?

 

[DCBC]

Not trying to discourage him, just trying to clue him in to the realities of the business. ...Enough to know that what I posted about the challenges a person faces in trying to get started as a commercial diver are actual. Do you dispute that?

There are challenges in getting started in any occupation today. If I was starting over and assessing job potential today, I'd look more toward the positive opportunities that each field offered, rather than be self-defeating in my outlook. I'd want to be realistic, but when it comes right down to it, the field of diving has tremendous potential.

In the area of offshore oil production, there are billions of dollars of projects standing in-line. If you possess the certifications and experience, can get along with others and are willing to work closely in a team, the world is your oyster. Of course there's competition, but this is the case in most worthwhile vocations.

 

[fstbttms]

There are challenges in getting started in any occupation today. If I was starting over and assessing job potential today, I'd look more toward the positive opportunities that each field offered, rather than be self-defeating in my outlook. I'd want to be realistic, but when it comes right down to it, the field of diving has tremendous potential.

Perhaps. But the OP should know that he isn't going to come out of a 6 year stint in the Navy or drop $10-20K on a dive school and then step into a $100,000/year gig on an oil rig somewhere. Nobody in this thread mentioned the dues he's gonna have to pay working his way up, until I did. I don't think I'm doing him a disservice. Quite the opposite, actually. Absolutely he follow his dream. But he should do it with eyes wide open to both the up, and down, side of his chosen career path.

 

[DCBC]

Nobody in this thread mentioned the dues he's gonna have to pay working his way up, until I did.

Perhaps you should reread my initial comments.