What does a Commercial Diver do?
A commercial diver works in a variety of underwater settings such as deep seas, lakes, or other submerged places. These divers may also specialize in a particular type of work, from gathering or finding evidence underwater for law enforcement to performing construction tasks underwater. For example, these divers may be needed to perform maintenance on parts of a structure that are submerged, such as oil rigs. They always work in water in specialized dive suits, mostly in teams, and may also work closely with engineers.
How to Become a Commercial Diver
To be a commercial diver, consider if you are a problem solver, can think clearly during stressful situations, and work well with a team. Usually, a commercial diver begins their career as a diver’s assistant (called tenders) to gain experience for a few years before diving professionally. Next, they typically attend a diving school that is accredited by the Association of Commercial Diving Educators (link opens in a new tab).
According to O*NET OnLine, over 70% of the commercial divers surveyed held a post-secondary certification and a little over 10% had earned an associate’s degree. Look for an educational program that offers hands-on experience and job placement assistance. Once you are hired, you will receive a lot of additional on-the-job training. Employers also prefer applicants with some mechanical skills such as welding or motor repair.
Watch a video to learn what a commercial diver does:
Job Description of a Commercial Diver
The duties of a commercial diver vary greatly from job to job depending on the type of work required, such as repairing cracks or laying foundations for bridges. A different skill set would be required for working underwater on a deep sea oil rig. Some jobs need inspections, or working on ports or some other type of water related work, like welding or building. Some jobs require living on ships for extended periods of time and may involve lots of travel while other jobs are for much shorter lengths of time and would be closer to home.
When a commercial diver works in deeper waters, they wear specialized wet suits when diving. When not diving, they assist the next team of divers from the boat. A diver submerged in deep seas must be placed in a decompression chamber to avoid decompression sickness. It is important to follow safety rules at all times as this job can be dangerous if one is careless. This career may pay sporadically depending on the length of time spent on a job and conditions may not always be pleasant.
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