opinions on school

[mxbrand]

I have been thinking about becoming a commercial diver for over a year now, reading forums, researching schools and talking to family friends in the industry. I have made the decision that it is something i want to pursue and would just like to get the input from as many people as possible who are STILL in the industry. In a lot of what i have been reading people are saying save some money and stay away from the big schools that are more like corporations and go with a state program. and other are saying go for it. from what I have found cda seems to offer the most certs but I understand that doesn't mean you're gonna leave with all of them and i also heard that they will not fail people for the most part, that scares the **** outta me!! I have also heard that the school in Louisiana is by far the least expensive way to go if you stay in the states and offers the most realist training if you're going to work in the gom. Has anybody been their or work with people who have??

I understand that out of school i'll be a tender for the first couple years if I get a job off-shore and was told i could expect 14-15 an hr but expect to work 12hr days and 90 straight at times. any truth to that?? but could be suiting up the first day working inland but for a smaller company for less money and not as steady work. are these just pipe dreams or actual fact? I have heard that the industry is kinda dry right now in the US but could pick up after the election...any truth to that?

I know that if i want to work oversees i need to get my IMCA cert. and honestly I think this is the route i'm leaning twords at least for the first couple years of my career. I heard that you will not work nearly as many days in a row oversees like you would in the states! would it be better to go to school oversees to get the IMCA cert? I heard there is a school in norway that is only like 7k US and they speak english. Has anyone been there or work with people who have? My family friend who went to school in the states also went to a school in Scottland a couples years later to get into sat and he said that's where he wishes he would have just gone to begin with. and he also recommended that i get emt/dmt certs when im going through school to give me more of a chance of getting a job, but i heard the US standard takes more time and is more preferred. any truth to that??

I am ready to work my @:: off to prove myself during and after school. and am just trying to get the most bang for my buck when it comes to getting the nessecary certs. without getting ripped off and having a bunch of debt hanging over my head with the possibility of not being able to find work. I know that EVERY school is gonna tell you that they're the best and they can do yada yada yada but as people in the industry where do you see/know people coming from that achieve the most?? and what steps did they take or did you take to get there?? I know that no school can guarentee they turn out the best divers and it depends all on the person but what in your opinion what is the best program??

 

[DivingOtter]

The bigger schools offer certifications through ADC, ACDE etc which are anywhere from 5 months to a year. Without those certs you wont be able to work as a tender or diver. The state colleges are more 2-4 year schools with diving included int he curriculum. I do inland diving and yes its true you MAY suit up sooner its not a guarantee and if you are lucky enough to get into the union you pretty much wont be diving anytime soon. Offshore will be alot longer proving yourself topside before you can dive. If you are from the US even with an IMCA cert it will be hard to find work abroad. Im not talking about a US based company working abroad but to actually work for a non US company. The same way us Americans complain about immigrants taking our jobs is the way other countries feel about Americans. Just look at the statistics for American divers in the North Sea until the British put an end to that and hired all divers from the UK. Im not saying it WONT happen but its pretty rare these days. If you say your so ready to work your ass off then you shouldnt be so concerned about the work schedule here vs abroad. Its a rough industry and yes schools are in it for the money and could basically give a rats ass about you after your done. Trust me, the owner of my school found out i started my own company. She laughed patted me on the back and said good luck sweetheart cus that aint gonna last. Dont worry about the EMT DMT stuff. Wait until your with a company, put your time in show motive and let them pay for you to get it. IMCA standards are more strict than here in the states. I know one person working in the UK right now and they arent even allowed to gear and hat themselves up. Its a rough industry thats for sure. Out of 20 people in my class only 5 people are working as divers which is about the usual percentage. People cant find work and give up and move on, dont like inconsistent pay and being away from home or family. I work 7 days a week trying to get my company off the ground which i dont mind because in the long run it is worth it, but i dont go on vacation with my wife and daughter because if that phone rings i need to be able to get up and go. I dont drink because i need to be in condition to dive 24/7. Hell, I was taking a call for a salvage job 25 mins before i was going to walk down the isle when i got married in April. And no, no honeymoon. I need to answer my phone at 3 am because if i dont and there is a tugboat sitting in a harbor with an emergency and i dont pick up, they move on to the next number on the list. Dont get me wrong i love what i do and wouldnt trade it for another profession you just need to realize that you arent going to walk into a job making 100,000 dollars a year which is what every school says. Your more likely to start out making around 30,000 but even im not making that yet . Forget solid weekly pay or salary because thats pretty rare, its more project to project as far as inland diving goes just like any other contracting job. GOM is a little different but ive never worked there so i couldnt tell you. Go to an accredited school that follows ADC & ACDE standards, get a TWIC card and if you graduate focus on finding a job AFTER you graduate. I get calls 3-5 times a day from people who havent graduated yet trying to find work and it really gets annoying. PS. The accredited schools are 40 hours a week with a very strict policy on absence and academics. Mine was 5 months with a maximum of 5 days absent at which point you were dropped from training as well as below 80 percent grade which would drop you from training. With the time of training and the amount of information coming at you left and right with the dive school there would be no way in Gods green earth you would be able to do anything besides dive school.It demands a full day of class and diving and a solid 4 plus hours of studying at night so balancing 2 schools for different professions aint gonna happen. And yes the diving industry sucks right now for the most part. Really though it just takes one good storm to change that but its nothing to rely on.

 

[Bombay High]

Fort Williams - I was there more than 20 years ago. Went back there recently - it is very good.

Commercial Diver & ROV Pilot Training | The Underwater Centre, Fort William | Training Divers and ROV Pilots

 

[DivingOtter]

Fort Williams - I was there more than 20 years ago. Went back there recently - it is very good.

Commercial Diver & ROV Pilot Training | The Underwater Centre, Fort William | Training Divers and ROV Pilots

Bombay, had my daughter not just been born and the VA paid for abroad schooling i most definately would have gone there.

 

[mxbrand]

thanks guys, and otter i should have clarified better I ment do the emt/dmt training right after an air/mixed gas program. but I didn't know it was something that you could get a company to pay for. my friends reason for saying to get it done right away is you could work as an emt in the off season. another thing that i was contemplating is to go in to the navy cause i hear that A LOT of people in this industry have military experience. I have also heard that some NDT companies will pay for all your certs as long as you work there so long.

 

[fstbttms]

I dont drink because i need to be in condition to dive 24/7.

Sorry, that's a deal-breaker.












No, seriously. That's a deal-breaker. Especially when you ain't even pulling down $30K/year.

 

[Bombay High]

Sorry, that's a deal-breaker.

No, seriously. That's a deal-breaker. Especially when you ain't even pulling down $30K/year.

Ha ha ha !! Would be for me too can't imagine what else you can do in Aberdeen.
If you want to work in the North Sea, I would seriously recommend Fort Williams.

 

[DivingOtter]

Well its not a guarantee, but bigger companies prefer to have in house medics rather than outsourcing them. The company, if they feel you are worth it usually pays for it, OR has some sort of incentive to help you make up your mind. I would much rather wait and see before i shell out more money for training. If you put your time in and stay focused there is the potential to get paid to go to schooling thats paid for.

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Also, the US Navy has a waiting list of 2 years to have a shot at their training. The Army and other branches also have a waiting list.

 

[BRAVOGOLFTANGO]

another thing that i was contemplating is to go in to the navy cause i hear that A LOT of people in this industry have military experience.

U.S. Navy Deep Sea Diving school is one of (IF) not the best Deep Sea Dive training school in the World. It's a tough school, both physically and academics. My training was on Coronado Island across the street from Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUDS) training. Why our CO competed with them beats me, but we got our butts kicked hard. Bottom-line is when you graduate Navy Diving school first phase, you're on your way to becoming one of the best in the world. I almost went to some school in Houston (Ocean "something"), been too long now can't remember, but it was one of the top notch comm-dive schools in the early 80s. You'll still need a rate (career choice) and you'll at a minimum have to complete A-School after Boot prior initial Dive School.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[mxbrand]

yeah seriously if I couldn't drink that'd be a deal breaker for me too. Fort Williams was the school that my family friend went to Bombay, n like i said he told me that's where he wishes he would have gone from the start. What are the odds that I will actually get hired by a foreign company and even get the chance to work the north sea or other parts of the world? cause I am American. And I understand all about not wanting to hire "imigrants" I live in Arizona. Thanks for the input bravo, def think I have the stones to pull off some of the stuff those crazy guys do, and getting to play with "classified" toys... YES PLEASE!!