Deep Sea Diver Career Information
Deep sea diving careers take you under the depths of the ocean for a number of reasons. Military, scientific and commercial industries make use of deep sea divers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, deep sea diving is a career that demands flexibility and adaptation to many different situations.
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Education
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Deep sea diving careers usually don't require a secondary education; a high school diploma will do. Certification is where most of the training comes in. A commercial diver certification is required. The Association of Diving Contractors International controls the standards for commercial diving certifications, and there are many schools that provide programs that adhere to these standards. Some certification programs are only 2 months long and cover the essentials. Others can last up to 2 years. The longer courses cover many different aspects of commercial diving in addition to certifying the deep sea diver. There are a handful of 4-year degrees offered in marine diving technology.
Military
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The military employs divers in the Army and Navy. The duties performed by a deep sea diver in the military include engineering, reconnaissance, construction, repair and demolition. Boat propellers and hulls often need cleaned, and that is much easier to do underwater than dry docking the boat. Equipment salvage, underwater patrolling and surveying are other important duties.
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Scientific
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Deep sea diving in the scientific sector encompasses a number of different areas. Divers for scientific documentaries can photograph and film underwater life. They collect research samples and may assist in laboratory work. Deep sea divers can also perform maintenance duties while with research vessels.
Commercial
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Commercial deep sea diving offers many opportunities across a variety of industries, according to Dive Training Magazine. Offshore oil rigs use deep sea divers for construction and repair. Underwater welding, rigging specialists and diving medical technicians are three of the different career paths that you can take as a deep sea diver. Many basic construction and technical tasks are made very difficult underwater due to low visibility conditions as well as limited mobility due to scuba gear.
Salary
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The mean annual salary for deep sea divers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was $54,940 in 2008. The average number of days worked per year is around 160, as deep sea divers need down time to deal with decompression after diving at depth. Water pressure is much greater the further down a deep sea diver goes, and spending prolonged amounts of time at depth can be dangerous or fatal. Hazard pay can be added onto the salary or wage, depending on the job.
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References
- Photo Credit Diver over coral reef image by DJ from Fotolia.com
