Thinking about career change!! Advice needed!

[Akimbo]

… (although you do have to deal with some BS from time-to-time). ….

Just consider it part of the socialization required to become a commercial diver.

 

[bill088]

WOW.... this seems ALOT more involved then i first thought. I really appriciate all the advice you folks have offered. Trust me, it hasnt fallen on deaf ears. i think for the time being ill take up some recreational diving and "get my feet wet" for now. The money was the big selling ticket for me but as with most people, I would like to someday have a family so i gotta weigh my options here. Plus the fact that the work seems to have a seasonal lull isnt really inticing. Then again, auto mechanics kinda follow a similar but opposite pattern. slow in the summer due to everyones vaca. I respect what you gus do, and i dont think com. diver are given enough credit. they keep the oil flowing so the rest of us can live our day to day. Maybe inland/coastal is a better option but i hear the money isnt so great there. Once again, i appriciate your patience, time, and advice and i will keep it all in mind while trying to decide my next move. thanks again everyone, Bill.

 

[Bombay High]

Do not do it just for the money. About 15 years ago, during a maritime strike, I started doing another job to fill in the income. Today that job pays me more money than Sat upto 100m. It is now my primary job. I keep diving, but less and less now. I actually enjoy it more now that its not my main job.

 

[DivingOtter]

Put it this way. 18 people in my class, 12 of which did it because they heard the money is insane. Those 12 are not working as divers. Dont get me wrong, you can make a very lucrative career at it, trust me ive seen my share of divers and their toys but more common is just the average house and car vs the glamor people think comes hand in hand with it. Seasonal? Ehhh maybe, depending on what your companies focus is. My focus is commercial ships husbandry and believe it or not my work picks up in the winter time because the Joe Blows with their scuba tanks arent around. Just because the water is 35 degrees with the air temp 22, doesnt mean ships dont need to be maintained as commercial boats never stop, and thats when my prices go up. The main thing is you cant just do one type of diving or even assume all you can do is dive because you wont make it. One day I might be changing a ships wheel and the next day recovering a commercial clam dredge 160' on the bottom of the sea, a few days after that I might be burning in the Delaware river, so to say seasonal isnt spot on. Think of it more as being a contractor because thats technically what we are. If your building a house life is great, getting paid and steady work , then what? uh oh.. That house is done, now what? Sit around and wait for a phone call? Point is you need to be on the game all the time looking for the next bit of work. Im on the phones with contacts and clients more so than in the water. When work is slow I call my clients letting them know if they need vessel work done to let me know now since other work has slowed down. Most times I get a call back with work that will keep me going for a few weeks. Your only going to get what you put into this line of work. Being persistent and hungry for work is how you will stay busy.

 

[Sat Diver]

All good advice from men with more brains than me

Enjoy yourself, stay safe and look out for your brothers.

 

[pinkham89]

tagging onto this thread. (resurrect from hell... i get it) But im in a bit of a similear situatiom.. Worked my life as a mechanic, worked on darn near everything, moved into heavy diesel work and currently work on Heavy Equipment and boats for the Marine Corps. Grew up on the coast of Maine (zero viz training dives... high five anyone) so the ocean is my home. Anyone here used their GI bill to go to a school? Done a fair amount of diving too, somewhere around 200 dives ranging from light commercial work to wreck penetration (only up to adv open water and nitro 1 but it gets me where I need to go) Been curious about going to school for this for a while and when its free... hey why not right? I have 2 years left on my Active contract but im curious what yall think.

 

[DivingOtter]

tagging onto this thread. (resurrect from hell... i get it) But im in a bit of a similear situatiom.. Worked my life as a mechanic, worked on darn near everything, moved into heavy diesel work and currently work on Heavy Equipment and boats for the Marine Corps. Grew up on the coast of Maine (zero viz training dives... high five anyone) so the ocean is my home. Anyone here used their GI bill to go to a school? Done a fair amount of diving too, somewhere around 200 dives ranging from light commercial work to wreck penetration (only up to adv open water and nitro 1 but it gets me where I need to go) Been curious about going to school for this for a while and when its free... hey why not right? I have 2 years left on my Active contract but im curious what yall think.

I used my GI Bill to go. I had the Post 911 Bill. They paid 17,500 of the 18,500 tuition but they DO NOT cover any gear. That will run you 7500 from the school I went too which im sure is different elsewhere. If you use your GIB you will most likely be ineligible for any other private or federal loans which is good since alot of people I know are having problems paying them back.