Hello all. Not sure where else I could have put this online and gotten a reponse, but maybe you guys can be of assistance. After doing research online, ive gotten a good feel of the aspects of commercial diving that I beleive are accurate. However, I contacted a training school and talked to one of the trainers over the phone, and he gave me some contradicting information. He reassured me that the first year after graduation, working off shore I would make 60-70,000. Is this at all accurate?
Commercial diving training center honesty?
- Thread starter TylerTX
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DennisS
Contributor
Check out "Santa Barbara Community College" program, not sure if that's the name anymore, you might find it a better deal than the commercial schools. It's part of the Calif education system. Commercial Diving Marine Technology Careers and Training
A friend of mine went there 30 years ago, made a ton of money diving SAT in the North Sea, worked in the oil patch for years. He was making 70-80K a year in the late 70s, early 80's doing SAT in the North Sea. Pissed it away, multiple ex's, multiple child support. He's in his 50's now, living aboard a small boat in SB harbor. Typical diver doing his thing,working as a dive supervisor somewhere in the gulf sporadically.
They say you're old in the SAT game at 30. This guy has no body fat, a belly pinch is less than a 1/2 inch, he didn't make any preparations for the future, so he's still out in the patch.
You have to pay your dues being a tender before you can move up, at least that was his experience.
A friend of mine went there 30 years ago, made a ton of money diving SAT in the North Sea, worked in the oil patch for years. He was making 70-80K a year in the late 70s, early 80's doing SAT in the North Sea. Pissed it away, multiple ex's, multiple child support. He's in his 50's now, living aboard a small boat in SB harbor. Typical diver doing his thing,working as a dive supervisor somewhere in the gulf sporadically.
They say you're old in the SAT game at 30. This guy has no body fat, a belly pinch is less than a 1/2 inch, he didn't make any preparations for the future, so he's still out in the patch.
You have to pay your dues being a tender before you can move up, at least that was his experience.
Being that you are Tyler, TX it's a short hop over to Louisiana. Have you checked out Louisiana Technical College, Young Memorial Dive School, www.commercialdiveschool.com. It's located in Morgan City and at last count we had more offshore rigs than anyone else.
Check out the frequently asked quetions sections and you will get a much beter idea of what brand new commercial divers make.
Hope this helps.
duckster3d
Contributor
I work for a commercial dive company, divers start out around 17.00 an hour, for tender and other duties, not sure about the rate for dive work, but it is higher, but new dvers don't get that much dive time the first year or so.
Yes there is no reason you could not make 60,000 - 80000 if your working offshore.
You will get between 16-19 as a new tender but when offshore your making a minimum 12 hour day seven days a week, 44 hours of overtime per week will add up quickly if your a decent hand and keep working.
As above check out Youngs Memorial (out of state tuition is around 2500) private commercial schools are 12000-18000.
You will get between 16-19 as a new tender but when offshore your making a minimum 12 hour day seven days a week, 44 hours of overtime per week will add up quickly if your a decent hand and keep working.
As above check out Youngs Memorial (out of state tuition is around 2500) private commercial schools are 12000-18000.
RMEDiver
Glad to hear that. Ive been looking into one of the private commercial schools, and after all the expenses (Inlcuding living arrangements, dining, gear, tuition, etc.) it comes out around 21000 for four month training. The school is Commercial Diving Academy, they are at Commercial Diving Academy-Train for underwater welding, construction, & more., and I would be able to finance the majority of the costs.
Now I have read articles about some of these private insitutions being a rip off and that you may never be a commercial diver after graduating, but im not very convinced. Ive done my research and talked to some of the guys there and it seems very legitimate from what I can tell. If I were to go to one of the insitutions that have been mentioned, do you think I would get the same quality of training and certifications and job oppurtunities?
Glad to hear that. Ive been looking into one of the private commercial schools, and after all the expenses (Inlcuding living arrangements, dining, gear, tuition, etc.) it comes out around 21000 for four month training. The school is Commercial Diving Academy, they are at Commercial Diving Academy-Train for underwater welding, construction, & more., and I would be able to finance the majority of the costs.
Now I have read articles about some of these private insitutions being a rip off and that you may never be a commercial diver after graduating, but im not very convinced. Ive done my research and talked to some of the guys there and it seems very legitimate from what I can tell. If I were to go to one of the insitutions that have been mentioned, do you think I would get the same quality of training and certifications and job oppurtunities?
Yes, for the most part any Association of Commercial Diving Educators (ADCE) course is going to be quality training, the basic purpose of the course is to familiarize you with the equipment used in commercial diving. It is a OJT trade, you will learn to dive in school but learn to work in the water in the field.
With an ADC card the opportunities are going to be about the same, the school is not going to be that much of an aid in getting on someplace... Recruiters for the bigger dive companies come to every ACDE school looking for hands.
21000 is an awful lot of money and an awful lot of financing...
Check the October class at Youngs and see if there are any slots open...
Have you ever been in the military? (GI bill)
The Texas National Guard is starting a Army dive team, if you were at all interested you could attend the Army diver course and get paid for the training...
Explore all your options before committing to 21000...
If it were me I would not bother with the welding cert just yet... There is a great course in Miami for around 2000 that teaches certified underwater welding if you decide you need the cert later...
If you have any specific questions let me know:
jlane@rmediver.com
Jeff
With an ADC card the opportunities are going to be about the same, the school is not going to be that much of an aid in getting on someplace... Recruiters for the bigger dive companies come to every ACDE school looking for hands.
21000 is an awful lot of money and an awful lot of financing...
Check the October class at Youngs and see if there are any slots open...
Have you ever been in the military? (GI bill)
The Texas National Guard is starting a Army dive team, if you were at all interested you could attend the Army diver course and get paid for the training...
Explore all your options before committing to 21000...
If it were me I would not bother with the welding cert just yet... There is a great course in Miami for around 2000 that teaches certified underwater welding if you decide you need the cert later...
If you have any specific questions let me know:
jlane@rmediver.com
Jeff
The reality is you will likely spend $7,000 - $20,000 for the education... then spend years paying off the loan... all the while with a starting pay as a Line Tender of $14 - $18 per hour. You'll earn between $29,000 - $37,000 if you get hooked up with a reputable company.
You can make better money down the road - like after three years or so... when you start getting in the water - but you have to be a loaner who works offshore with no social life and who doesn't mind near death experiences on a regular basis. Caution, don't take this job if you're a young man with a young family. You may leave your wife and kids far sooner than you - or they are ready for.
Burn-out in this job is fast and danger in imminent. It is for middle age men with no families or young loaners looking for a place in the world to lay their hat. If you fit one of those descriptions - it beats working as a salesmen at Macys.
It is not glamorous at all... and there are other ways to make far more money if you enjoy diving.
If you still decide to go for it... I wish you luck...
You can make better money down the road - like after three years or so... when you start getting in the water - but you have to be a loaner who works offshore with no social life and who doesn't mind near death experiences on a regular basis. Caution, don't take this job if you're a young man with a young family. You may leave your wife and kids far sooner than you - or they are ready for.
Burn-out in this job is fast and danger in imminent. It is for middle age men with no families or young loaners looking for a place in the world to lay their hat. If you fit one of those descriptions - it beats working as a salesmen at Macys.
It is not glamorous at all... and there are other ways to make far more money if you enjoy diving.
If you still decide to go for it... I wish you luck...
drivsea
Guest
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