There are a lot of things that make the ocean interesting and compelling, so it is no wonder that many people take an interest in scuba diving. But did you know that you could actually have a fulfilling career in deep sea diving? A commercial diver is someone who can take this passion and make a career of it by working alongside commercial oil rigs to test for damage and inspect the conditions of man-made underwater structures, fix problems as they arise with welding tools, work with surface technicians to solve problems in deep water, recover objects that are lost to the depths, as well as other regular technical tasks that require someone experienced in scuba diving. This means that this career not only requires a love for the ocean, but it also requires a knowledge of mechanical equipment and power tools. Commercial divers need spatial awareness, people skills while consulting with a rig crew, a comfort in being submerged underwater for a long period of time, amongst other general labour skills. It can also be a very physically demanding job.

What are the perks of the job?

The most glaring perk for students considering this career is that you are able to spend a lot of time underwater. If scuba diving is an exciting activity for you, then this is a good opportunity to make a living from it. As well, if you are passionate about machinery and engineering, then this career may be a perfect way for you to exercise your mechanic passion. Another solid benefit from this job is the very livable average salary, which is about $75,020, according to PayScale. Common benefits to this career include the standard health and dental benefits with many placement offers including vision benefits as well. Because of the specified skill set that this career requires, it is also a very high in demand job, especially along Canada’s west coast, according to California Diver.

What are some of the setbacks?

Being a commercial diver can be a very physically demanding job and require a large amount of contact with the rest of the rig crew, requiring a great degree of social skills. It also requires specific expertise in certain fields, which can make it a difficult job to get into. It is also important for commercial divers to be able to think quickly on their feet (so to speak) when things go wrong.

How can I grow with this career?

Commercial divers will generally receive small pay increases as they move forward in their career after evaluation by supervisors. It is possible that a talented commercial diver may be promoted to become a supervisor or a superintendent after a few years in the industry.

That’s all great, but could I be hired for other careers?

There are many other careers that require the same skills used in the commercial diver career: deep sea diving and engineering. Different careers requiring these skills include: deep sea diver, divemaster (someone who leads recreational diving groups), navy diver, general scuba diver, non- destructive testing underwater welder, salvage diver, underwater assistant and underwater welder. There are a few job roles reserved for individuals who are skilled at underwater diving.

Reference:

California Diver, “Commercial Divers In Demand on Canada’s West Coast”:

http://californiadiver.com/commercial-divers-needed-on-canadas-west-coast/

Career Planner.com, “Commercial Diver”:

https://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Commercial-Divers.cfm

Chron, “Entry Level Commercial Diving Salary”:

https://work.chron.com/entry-level-commercial-diving-salary-3886.html

My Plan.com, “Commercial Divers”:

https://www.myplan.com/careers/commercial-divers/description-49-9092.00.html

PayScale.com, “Commercial Diver Salary”:

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Commercial_Diver/Hourly_Rate