underwater work

[lozzin]

i've recently realized that i would love to have a job or career (for that matter) that is diving related. but i don't know of any actual positions other than dive instructor. so any type of work that could be pointed out to me would be a huge help. i'd prefer to hear about jobs or careers you think are a good idea to get into.

 

[dherbman]

Is money important? Working with people? Travel? It's easy to romanticize a career in diving, but many times the reality does not come close to the fantasy.

There are a lot of options, but the correct choice for you will depend on what you are looking to get out of it.

Best of luck with it!

 

[Gary D.]

Staying in the sport field is sort of on the same order as a starving artist. Even the commercial field isn't paying that well anymore.

Gary D.

 

[SCUBA_Morg]

Aren't underwater welders well paid?

I understand they get paid that much because of the risks but if you watch yourself and take good care in safety and like welding then it might be good for you.

Just a suggestion...

 

[lozzin]

money's not that important, enough to comfortably support my self, people isn't reallly an issue, and travel.... well lets just say the more the better. i'm really just looking for a list of postions

 

[abitton]

Here's some info I found...

Good luck!!

http://www.workfutures.bc.ca/profiles/profile.cfm?noc=7382&lang=en&site=graphic

 

[Skeeter1097]

I see that Peaple that make it in the dive world. Thay make it a way of life not a job. Thay live to dive not dive of aliving. But that said, Fined a corear that takes you to all the plases you would loke to dive. Or that makes you the income that well alow you to travel. That is the way to go.

 

[Phil TK]

i've recently realized that i would love to have a job or career (for that matter) that is diving related. but i don't know of any actual positions other than dive instructor. so any type of work that could be pointed out to me would be a huge help. i'd prefer to hear about jobs or careers you think are a good idea to get into.

The coolest job in diving lozzin is resort video-ographer. Apart from scoring more chicks than other dive staff we also get more beers bought for us by customers. Plus we have the enviable power of making anyone we choose look stupid in the video-edit.(so wise instructors and DMs buy us a beer too!)
It's a great life and as a bonus I'll have many hours of memories on dvd to look at when I retire.

Phil TK

 

[AndyNZ]

It's a bit of a generalisation, but commercial diving is hard work, and often in unpleasant environments.

The other obvious option, instructing, involves a lot of competition for a relatively small number of jobs - particularly if you are looking to travel to popular destinations such as the Red Sea or the Great Barrier Reef. If you go to Cairns, for example, you'll find most of the dive operators have signs in their windows saying "Instructors, please do not ask us for work".

The people who "make it", by which I mean get the life style they want and can afford to maintain, tend to have a lot of arrows in thie quiver.... so for example, a boat handling qualification and a service technician course as well as being an instructor or commercial diver.

The minimum you'll need to find work will be a DM (or DiveCon or equivilant) qualification, so that at least gives you a shorter term goal.

 

[vertaqua]

A lot of people have lofty ideas about getting paid to dive and travel to exotic places. The reality is something drastically different, ussually the jobs where you have the most fun pay the worst. I know you don't care about the money but its easy to say when you have it. I chose to go to a school for commercial divers, where they told you fairy tales about the loads of money and exciting job prospects. The reality of the situation is thats its very hard work and you don't start making real good money until after years of hard work in the offshore oilfields( which is where most of the commercial diving work is). I myself went through the diving medicine program and ended up working in clinical hyperbarics where I make prety good money and go on some pretty cool dive trips. Also commercial diving school isn't cheap either, the one i went to(College of Oceaneering, Port of Los Angeles) was 16k for one year of schooling. I can't speak for working as an instructor but I'd think the pay isn't very good and you probably won't always be diving where you want or you'll be chasing after some newbie trying to prevent him/ her from getting hurt.
Just my .02$