Hello everyone Been inland diving for 29 years . The school cost me $5,300. I’ve spent years in swells , very strong currents, zero & very low visibility, being covered in mud , epoxies , oil , creosote hundreds of stings from jellyfish, cut & smashed fingers, burned from hot water machine , chemical burns from concrete & creosote. Been in the water hundreds of times after heavy rains with half treated sewage floating by. Another wonderful part of the job is when everything is frozen in the winter. I primarily work in the nyc metro area so 2 &3 hour commutes & hundreds of dollars a month spent on tolls is not uncommon. If i could go back I would of gone to a trade high school then went in the coast guard or Navy & then maybe some different trade like plumbing or electrical or got a job in law enforcement or on like a freight railroad. I also regret not ever going offshore so if i was able to start over in diving i would definitely go offshore for valuable life experience for at least 3-5 years.
As an owner of a civil diving company everything this young man said was right on point. Dive schools are a business and make their money turning and burning students. The main point that was missing in his list is within the first year after students leave dive school 83% will not be working in this field. After the second year only 7% of all the divers who attended school will still be in the field. If you don’t believe this stat go back and see his point about the census bureau amount of working divers currently. Somewhere around 3500! Add up the main four schools plus the 6-10 fringe schools and see how many graduate each year, then multiply that by 5 years for a total amount of “qualified” divers. The number is going to be much much greater than the under 4K commercial divers actually working. Good luck it can be a challenging and rewarding profession but you must stay humble and put the work in.
Okay, I'd wager most of those people either don't have good work ethics or have an inflated idea that a fresh rookie is suitable for sat diving oil rigs for 6 figures. I'm the guy willing to put in the entry-level "bitch work" to prove I'm a reliable and trustworthy asset for my team. With experience comes marketability, and if that company won't advance your career, another one will. People do leave all the time whether to find something more family friendly, they hate it, or anything else. The bottom line is that it means open positions. I for one am willing and able to put in the time and effort for training and doing the entry-level "bitch work." I understand the significance of it and I wouldn't trust the system any other way. The people who can't handle or grasp these simple concepts shouldn't be working in this industry in the first place. I understand in a capitalist society that companies and schools are for-profit. Even Ivy-league schools push bullshit degrees that make no money. No one should expect anything different from any other institution of a less prestigious and recognized education than the aforementioned. It comes down to the will-power to get yourself into a careerfield you want to be in. The old saying if there's a will, there's a way. And if there isn't, make one.
Blows me away how shafted American divers are. 11 bucks an hour starting? 25 an hour average? My god, straight out of school in Canada you're on at least 30 an hour, most guys I know are on 40-50 an hour. I won't get wet for less than 30 an hour, that's insulting to a prefession that is inherently dangerous and very hard on the body.
Much of what was said is relating to inland diving. We have no problem placing people at The Ocean Corp. Yes you start out as a tender in the Gulf and the pay is around $18/hour however, you are working/getting paid 12 hours/7 days a week. Like many jobs you have to pay your dues and work once out of school. Yes inland divers dive sooner than Gulf divers but that doesn't mean you won't get wet right out of school. Most companies start new guys on more shallow, less complex dives. Yes there is limited and zero visibility diving in the gulf but its not as bad as inland. I don't lie to any perspective students and let them know if they want to be a gulf diver they pretty much have to move to south La, its hard on relationships and it is hard work. Its what you make it. If you make good money but hate your job you wont have a very good quality of life.
I’ve been accepted to a school in Huston and a school in Seattle, I’ve wanted to do this for years but why are careers like this not rewarded highly based on risk and skill?
@@SonOfStoned yes it really does suck. applied to 15 companies out of school and highest paying job was 18hr job/13hr shop. made just under 30k this last year. only people that make it are ones that gave up on life and have no future goals.
I watched these videos before going to school thinking "man this dude is just a dweeb, I can do this" nope... should've listened. everything he says is absolutely true
Hmm. I was interested in commercial diving for the impression I would be making good money, could travel, would involve some risk, could stay fit, all the while having some job security. It seems the reality is that there aren't many jobs, and the pay is not good... Dunno if it's for me.
@@mihalispsychedelicrealeyes1284 the aether is the medium in which the ISS is sitting. So ya "space" as in a void is bullshit. If you think the earth is flat you need to wake up and answer the question what is a torroid, a hyperbaloid and what does that have to do with the geometry of the earth
If you want to be a commercial diver, you should consider becoming a union millwright. I joined my hall about 2 years ago. They will train you for free, and diving is one of the things we do. As a union millwright, you don't have to worry about finding work if diving gets slow, they will find other work for you. Also, you will never have to work for $11/hr. or any nonsense like that.
Union is the way to go That’s great to be a millright & diver & all your benefits follow you I’ve worked with some guys from an upstate ny local that were millrights & divers . Good strategy
Delta P, look out, there's an accident about! Seriously good appraisal you give here. TH-cam has seemingly made this type of vocation somewhat "romantic" When I was young enough to train for this and scuba diving a lot, like three times or more per week; my neighbour, who I finally got to talk with (I saw him a lot but we never spoke more than a few words) told me he was driving a bus. He didn't look like any bus driver LOL and he wasn't. He told me he used to be a saturation diver on oil rigs (he had retired and was 50? at the time of retirement) and said he had bad knees which he reckon was from all of that commercial diving. I think one has to plan ahead carefully for retirement because it's not a job one can work till they are 65 (maybe so9me exceptions out there).
You forgot MANY things.... 1) You think that you're a tough guy? Wait till they send you in a water tower for inspection. Most of you will turn down trust me. You have to climb a ladder and...climb...and climb. Then you have to haul your gear to the top. And IF you survive this, you then need to gear up and fit in hole too small for a mice. Once inside it's pitch black. And you have to be careful not to be dragged in the hole at the bottom... 2) If you go sat dive. You *absolutely* need to buy and bring a safe with you in the bell. Why? One guy stays inside, two guys out. The guy inside gets to eat ALL the sandwiches. No sandwich in a safe, not sandwich. 3) You will often feel "something" bumping on you. Sometimes.. a BIG something. 4) Current can be so strong at some locations that you'll do the flag quit often and even the most experienced and toughest diver may refuse that dive. 5) Don't go to Indonesia, those commercial divers are diving in a cheap overall made of cotton! 6) The deeper you go, the more wet the water is. 7) Never pee in your own dry or wet suit. Only in the rental ones or your friends ones. 8) You can go train in Houston for nuclear reactor dives. You'll then be ready for Halloween at all time. Green skin, 6 fingers and a ear on your forehead within a week. 9) Sex underwater? a must! ..at your own risk tho.
Based off my experience you are absolutely correct on every topic you spoke about . I was lucky to have had a lot of construction , mechanical , military experience prior to working for a Dive company in a environmental division prior to going to dive school...then went back to the same company and easing into it ...I was able to jump back and fourth until I was a full time union diver. This was back in the 90’s and early 2000’s . The attrition rate the first month or two is high ..higher than any job I know of.
I hear you there man, I've been working potable now for about 7 months, a lot of divers joke around and call it sissy work, but they have no idea the logistics this job calls for sometimes. rigging up all the equipment and diving on stand pipes and hydrosphere's is no joke, you have to be creative sometimes to make things work.
For me, sat dive is one of the most interesting jobs, but I will probably end up having to go with the popular scuba diving(not that big of a sacrifice) instead just for being easier to find jobs. :(
I am at the divers institute of technology. We were told after school we would get hired and would start off making 80 to 85 a year. But we are learning about underwater welding and saturation diving not commercial.
Yeah, I get asked this question a lot. I never tell anyone what to do, but I make strong suggestions. I'd guess about 80% of the people I've talked to have completely ignored me, nobody has messaged me yet to say, "I told ya so."
@Tmusselman10 29 tsk.... not old, but too old...my opinion...commercial diver since 1987 ( first dive at 22 last dive[not yet 59 and still diving, oct 2024]) just add 6 years to your 29 (learning time) you'll be 35, 22 yr will be 28. The 18 yr old will be 24... Go figure. Try 8 years of law school( dive on your vacation) peace...just my opinion mind u...
Go in the military and be a diver. Full pay, medical insurance, retire after 20 years , lots of varied experience and military will pay for your college if you want to further your education.
Graduated T.O.C. in 1994 - he speaks truth. However, for me it was my best life's decision - although I'm no longer in the industry, it was absolutely the best thing that continues to reward me.
Yea it doesn't make sense! Why not have a good paying job, and then go diving in your spare time. I work as a millwright in a papermill and make well over 30 an hour. I guess if it's what you love then it makes sense!
Because most people believes that commercial divers are well compensated so its a sort of bragging right that your're a commercial diver specially if they're trying to impress Narcissistic Chic.
Yup I was a pipe welder before going to dive school and spent 11 years diving . I can tell you if it’s money your after stay dry. If it’s something your passionate about and are willing to put the time in get wet. Also it will be hard on a relationship so I wouldn’t recommend if you have a family. Just my two cents.
Anyname willdo yup you gotta really love the job. Its a job not many people do so no matter what you will be the most interesting person in the room and everyone will be interested in your stories lol. Plus it gets you laid like no tomorrow, just sayin
Hey brother, I'm wanting haul too I'm also from Florida. I got. A year left on contract before i get out of the military. Any insight you can give me, advice?
I recently got into an argument with a guy on linkedin about this. Its a logical fallacy called, "Argument From Authority." Its where you base your perception of an issue on your experience alone without taking other experiences into account. Some people make good money diving. Those people are extremely few and far between. This rumor that divers make a lot of money is what perpetuates divers not making anything. Diving companies couldn't care less if you don't want to do a sketchy dive, they can fire you and have someone new in a couple of hours.
There's plenty of jobs, most people get out of school and can't handle being away from family, or can't handle the initial pay. Put in 5 years, and you'll make 400k+ a year in SAT. the entire profession is dangerous, so do it.
Good you mentioned the great,great pay. I didn't wanna mention it because most won't get there, just like the movie 300," only the few only the strong" peace to all yall...
It’s only 30k if you go to CDA or DIT. Go to SBCC MDT and it’s under 12k and you get the absolute BEST training. The other schools don’t teach you SHIT!! I’m a union commercial diver in Alaska and that school is the only way to go. I e also worked in the GOM and California east coast.
Just found your channel while doing some research on commercial diving schools. I graduated from a four year welding apprentice course and was looking into adding commercial diving to expand my opportunities after i retire from my full time job (law enforcement). listening to your comments about the salary I'm wondering if its worth it. It still looks interesting to me, are there many opportunities on the east coast?
There is a lot of turnover in the industry, and a few hundred new dive school graduates every month. So jobs are out there. If you come from a law enforcement background you might look into public safety diving. That would probably be a more stable career course and honestly probably more lucrative.
Nothing to do with this video, but you said in another video that you always answer questions. So my question is, I have a 3mm wet suit. Pretty sure I’m drying it right. By hanging it on the shower curtain rod. I think that’s fine, but was told that’s wrong. I will also be attending DIT in the spring. Anything helps man
Okay, so i'm just now getting back in the swing of things, so sorry for the late reply and you probably already know. drying your wetsuit just put it anywhere thats dry. I throw it over the side of my truck now.
I just got a job on a cruise ship as a Carpet cleaner/ Janitor basically and I was thinking. Put in 1 year on the ship and walk away with 90k in my pocket and Go to commercial diving school. But if jobs are scarce , How does one score a 150k 3 month gig.? Is there like a diving roster?
Man - I REALLY LOVE DIVING and want to do that job. I hate my job now. But I have a wife and four kids and it sounds like this wouldn't pay the bills and it would be hard to find work. ...too bad.
Hey Salty, I’m 42 years old and wonder if I’m too old to go to dive school. What are your thoughts or advice. I’m in good shape I’ve been a fighter in my 20s and coach now in my 30s to present.
I met this dude that was around 60 years of age , He was a mean commercial diver from hell , he broke out as a commercial diver in the north sea , he didn't ask any young guys for anything , if he wanted do something , he would go and do it . Right now I'm 49 years I'm a jack of all trades and a fucking commercial diver .
@kirby morgan well that's your opinion explain that to 6 if my friends that are 45 plus that never dove out of dive school. Ther previous company I worked for all the supervisors were 45 plus and were still in rotation. But that's one out of 4 companies
Honestly i jus enrolled to go to dit in seattle. I toured the facility and loved it but im scared shitless about the lack of work. I would greatly appreciate it if you could answer a few questions i have. I dont mean to be obnoxious but iv been anxious ever since.
Don't depend on that. Learn aw pipe welding and get as many certs in that line as well because you will need back up jobs that aren't diving if you want a stable life. Keep developing other skills on the side when you are not diving since your diving job will lay waste to your health by 40 to 45.
No worries guys i appreciate all the help but I didnt go. I love the idea but they really do want too much money to get into this with no guarantee of any return... A damn shame.
@@brandonteal7211 Right l think you made a good decision and even if you still want to get in to it there are much cheaper ways to go about it. But unless you have a big passion for diving it's simply not worth it when there are so many other things you can get in to through vocational training that will provide you with a much better life stability to financial return equation.
And he responded in the comments about sat jobs paying 25/hr out of hearsay from a friend saying depth pay wasn't a factor 🙄 I looked it up and tried finding any article or pdf upload stating that and there were crickets. Honestly if someone speaks for an industry (being the sat diving on dsv's) and they're aren't even involved then they should just not even say anything. Sat divers are very tight nit so best thing to do in search of information about the gig is ask one.
Very true , offshore rigs make u tender for 2 years and then dive . You start out at 25 an hour and 500 a dive when u start diving . That’s for offshore drilling rigs tho.
Its just about everywhere except the US. I hate regulation, but the diving industry here is a huge failure of oversight. Two people set the standards for dive training, both of them work for these high priced dive schools. The schools all feed into the ADCI system and if you don't go to an ACDE (which is basically a front for ADCI) you don't get to play.
Hay your 1 of the 1st youtube divers i ever watched,now i own my own company diving on lake union.I have afew questions about getting subscribers if ya have a sec?
Currently at IDI, they tell you straight up that your probably not gunna be Diving straight out of Dive school. Anyone who doesnt know, most SAT Schools wont even take you unless you have 1 year of DIVING experience, not tendering. Plus there is alot of additional training: DCBC, Loyds Welding (Only 1 guy in the US that is certified and teaches it in the US, currently at IDI..). Also being a Veteran, IDI is a Veteran Owned and Operated School... also its only 26k for Veteran Students, GI Bill/VOC Rehab pays for it all... jjst saying.. #nodebt
Nice information, srry if I may ask. In that diver school, hw they going to teach u al the courses, e.g., underwater welding diver, offshore air diver, inshore diver, harbour diver... pls reply me🙏
Best plan ever. Just join the military as a Union Welder. You already have a foot in because employers will see that the military pays for practically everything including your medical Bill's therefore that's a green flag for the employer.
What are your thoughts on Commercial Diving Technologies in Hudsonville FL, and and IDI in Charleston SC? I am 45 years old and I've been a "sport/rescue" diver for 35 years and hold a Masters Captains license through the USCG. Do you think I'm wasting my money and time? Thank you for all of your interesting videos!
I've had many conversations with those guys down at Commercial Diving Technologies. They have all come off to me as honest and straight up guys. 45 does seem a little old to get into the career, but I think the master captain license may make up for it, that's a solid qualification. My best friend went to IDI, he enjoyed it. They seem to have a solid program as well. If you choose to do it I would probably swing for Hudsonville, but I think either is a good choice.
You could always just join the Navy and save yourself the 30k on the school and get paid while training . plus end up with the GI bill to take different courses when you get out or while still in . DIT teaches you the US Navy construction dive course and even uses the same books , at least when I went . Also unless you have a background in construction/mechanics/fabrication, engineering etc it’s going to take you years to reach the good paying jobs. I was raised around commercial construction , my dad built gas stations for 30 years . So I was young when I was digging ditches and fitting pipe , finishing concrete , swinging a hammer , etc etc..then I joined the Army and became a helicopter mechanic and crew chief. Got out and went to work again for dad. Dad wanted to semi retire and focus on his gas station he owned so the company shut down and my brothers and I went to work for other companies. I just happened to end up getting a job at a commercial dive company that was expanding their environmental division into doing underground tank removals from gas stations etc... while working there I heard how much a union diver made . Since I learned how to scuba dive at 10 years old I figured I could pass the courses at DIT. So I asked for the time off to go to DIT and complete the courses. It still took me about two years to become a full time union diver and it wasn’t at the company I started at. There are a lot more regulations in place which makes it even harder to out last the attrition rate from layoffs and new recruits the schools pump out every month etc. in theory the new four man dive team will employ more divers ..but the downside is there are now twice the guys trying to get wet for the same job. Almost anybody can blow bubbles underwater...it is what you can do all alone in the dark fast , efficient , is what employers want . So the more you can do topside work related the better off you are. Also , you better not have any issues with anxiety, confined spaces , skin irritations from petroleum products etc . Put it this way , there are far far more Spec Ops guys in the Army alone than there are commercial divers, and there are reasons why. Demand is one factor and the competition for top tier divers is fierce . Also , get used to being yelled at and hazed for the first part of your career. All that said , once a guy has a reputation the work is plentiful. I know of several guys I worked with that are still at it 20 years later The danger side ..I also had one of my old co workers die while at a different company. I knew more people in the Army that died on the job however. Both of those industries are dangerous and if you do it long enough, odds are you will eventually learn about lose. Get a plan and follow it the best you can.
It’s a total crapshoot in this industry. I graduated CDA in 2003. Didn’t learn shit there. Everything thing I learned was from experience on the job. I was lucky to get on with UCC in Connecticut on a nuke job in Japan. From there an inland company out of Florida. The key is when you get your shot bust ass and don’t complain. You’re gonna get the shit jobs if you’re the FNG. Yeah the water is uncomfortable in the winter but ignore that shit. It may be your only shot. Make the most of it. You’re only as good as your last dive.
Go to a real dive school, they would have trained you better. They would have taught you to make good decisions. You would have never gotten sick if you had the right training.
This guy is full of shit. Ian a 10 year veteran. 6 years in the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe, 40% of my 10 years has been in great to ok visibility. So.etimes , no vis. I did this work because it was a dream. I did 6 years in the Gulf, 3 years in New York's East River and 1 year in Cali's Santa Barbara channel. Loved it. Do your dream and don't listen to negative people like this.
Hey Everyone, I am a scuba diving instructor since 10 years, our jobs are not sable and life is getting just harder every year, so i 'm thinking of changing my career to commercial diving, i have heard a lot about the risk/benefits of being in there, i am taking the course in NYD Norway, does it really worse it passing it there ? the cost of the course is all what i have, could someone please advice me ? Thanks
Why do guys go to these very expensive $30 plus thousand dollar dive schools when you can go to young’s memorial Slcc dive academy in Louisiana for like 9 grand? I don’t get it. It’s been around forever
I’ve been looking into commercial diving, currently in my senior in high school in the LA of California any tips ideas, school choices ? As far from what’s said in this video
Don't do it. I started a dive business in FL with zero schooling making minimum $150 hourly working on and cleaning the bottom of boats. Could never understand why anyone would want to be a hat diver? Less money, loss of life higher along with busting balls.
@@glardian966 Boat hull cleaning that also includes replacing anodes (zincs usually), prop pulling, in-water fiberglass repair, recovering things and providing video of work performed. First, you have to reside near water. Salt water preferably although zebra muscles are now in fresh water. They act like hydraulic cement: very hard to scrape off. Next, buy equipment, insurance and start advertising on FB, Craigslist, flyers at marinas and boat stores and your own website. Before going out on your own you may want to work for a boat hull cleaning business to learn a few things.
Everything you said is 100 correct You just have to make The decision is it right for you. hazmatiq probably one of the highest paid diving jobs you can get🎉 if you're young join the Navy and come on Navy diver get the experience then when you get out if you get a job anywhere I was 20 years demolitions Navy diver
The four major schools are not necessarily the best. The big schools charge an arm and a leg, but they ALL teach the same thing as per ANSI requirements. Biggest schools: DIT in Seattle, DAI in Jacksonville, and DAI in Erial NJ. Best schools for your buck: SBCC in santa barbara, Commercial Diving Technologies in Hudsonville FL, and IDI in Charleston SC.
The cheapest and most thorough school is SBCC MDT in Santa Barbara. I paid $3,000 for my schooling as a California resident. Non residents pay around $12,000. They will teach you WAY more than any other school and it’s in SB... tons of hotties everywhere
Since there's alot of travel my idea was to just get an rv. Before I drop the cash on this can anyone in the industry tell if me if this is as good of an idea as I think it is or is it just dumb? I rather like the idea of not having an apartment and always being close(ish) to my books. So it seems like a grand idea to me. Any advice on this matter would be highly appreciated
You travel quite a distance if you want to stay actively employed, thousands of miles back and forth. Best bet is to live as light, simple, and ready to travel on the drop of a dime. RV will seriously weigh you down and between maintenance costs and the amount of $ you will be forking out for fuel with all of the long distance travel that you must be willing to do, you're much better off just living simple, no RV, and hop a plane to each new job location. Just do some research on your next job destination each time and then figure out the best way to live cheap there so that when you arrive you already know where to go.
All you have to is be able to pee clean and turn a wrench. And sometimes you don't even have to turn a wrench. Aside from being underwater, there aren't many similarities between recreational and commercial diving. It sounds like you are quite comfortable in the water and that is the first step. The hardest part of the job is the lifestyle. Whether you work inland or offshore, you will be away from home for weeks or months at a time.
I knew a guy who was an offshore diver. He told me the SAT divers were making about $25/hr. A few years ago many companies also did away with depth pay. So, not great, higher risk, you will be cold literally all the time in and out of the water (it has to do with the density of HeO2 mixture or something). Sounds like a bum gig to me. Look on linkedin and message a SAT diver. There is a guy named Doug West who seems like a good cool dude who is willing to talk to people. He does some product stuff for DUI too.
Hey guys this may be an unrelated question, but if ive had an ACL surgery meaning metal screws in my knee, would i still be able to do Wet welding or will the current damage and dissolve the screws
A source with ADCI tells me you're fine. "Nope he is fine. The screw would have to be grounded and since it is covered by meat, skin and most of the time a wet suit it will not ground out. I have had rods in my lower back for years."
@@TheSaltyDiver thanks so much i appreciate the feedback, i was concerned about it because i was reading about the issues with Metal fillings in teeth but what you said makes sense.
Oh, the thing with the teeth has to do with air being trapped behind the fillings. It will expand and contract based on your depth and could cause a lot of pain. I believe it's called a tooth squeeze.
I have a personal question about this job. Met a guy online & is" now a long distance relationship" with many questions due to scams. he says he's located in Alaska on a 6 mth contract is this Normal? 2 he says he not aloud to video chat near the work site which he's always at ? Cell phones are prohibited on site for the same reason both due to high frequencies from Wi-Fi networks that can be dangerous with the gas lines, oxygen tanks... this true? Now saying he dropped his phone in the water & asking me to get him a new rugged quality phone on my carrier plan & ship him it... So he has a working, rugged phone to talk to me daily when done work & in his ? Since it's his contract he's run out of his 30% to start the job & ran out buy buying equipment & material & needs to find 8000$ for a ... to do the job... can anyone help to clarify these questions. Plsss & tks
Sounds like a typical construction job. My son is doing this now going to schoolI’m a union carpenter over 20 years. Have my own business tell my guys work is not consistent save your money
I make $75.00/hr with a minimum of 8 hours a day in the Cook Inlet. My deck hand pay is 32/hr. The longest hitch I’ve done is almost 4 months straight. We work heavy in the union and they train you to be a welder and Pilebuck so if you run out of dive work you can do a shit ton of other things that ALL pay better than GOM diving
Solitude is a Blessing yes you have to graduate an accredited dive school before working in the field. I work for American Marine International out of Alaska and they hire 90% employees out of SBCC MDT in California
Solitude is a Blessing no it does not take 2 years. It takes 8 months to get your commercial diving certifications. If you want the full degree then you can stay an extra semester for your EMT, most guys don’t do that.
Yeah roger that. I made damn good money in offshore oil. My first check was over 1800 in 1 week. And i hit the water the very first day, (after the divers made their rotation). This guy is definitely an inland diver, or TENDER, from the offshore industry.
Michael Merchant I’m about to star school July 6 my friend and I’m been reading a lot of mix comments about this career what’s your opinion in this industry is it dying ? Are you employed right now ?
Carlos Puig its easy to get a job but not a good one as a red hat be ready to do super shitty work all day and yes the industry is dying offshore due to rovs
Jacob Hilpert this is pretty sad for one second I thought I found something I was gonna like make a living I sign up to start on July 6 at commercial diving technologies in Hudson Florida but it’s amazing all the stories they tell you just to sell you the program and get your money thanks for your time replying to me I will consider this more and more
It's definitely not for most. However, for some people, it's the best job in world. Commercial diving has left me with a fractured vertebra and if given the choice to do it all again, I would.
question salty I am in a new relationship with a senior diver lifetime at it ... he said he may stop doing it the middle of this year or next putting his age then at 65 so my question is do you have any statistics on how many of these guys have successful relationships when the other woman is their job? I am brand new to long-distance relation shipping and I took on a booger for my first experience... matter of fact if you happen to know of a support group for the spouses of divers let me know. thank you, Robin, in love with a bubblehead♥
does your company specialize? Like, do inland companies generally cater to specific jobs like one does water towers, another does powerplants, another does bridge inspection, dredging and salvage, etc or are most of em pretty broad in terms of services offered? I always thought it would be cool to do the water tower stuff.
From what I understand, most inland companies do have a specialization. We do structural inspections, but there is a lot of different stuff out there. Underwater weed removal, the water tower stuff. On some random chance we ran into another completely different dive team in LA that did something with paper-mills.
@@nateclift2294 i haven't gone but from what i hear and see: Up to 30 students per class so less 1 on 1 It cost 30k for the class The living quarters is trash Do research on IDI if you're om the east coast. Or CDT in west central florida. I attend IDI soon. Great people ive talked to on the phone, and they seem to actually care about my questions unlike CDA did.
Oil field: 12/day Inland (Union, Non-Union): 8-12 These numbers don't reflect some finer points of the job. Oilfield: You're out at sea weeks to months at a time. 12 hours on, 12 hours off. And your off hours also will have a 30 minute safety meeting, any of your toiletry needs, and two of your meal times.... And this only reflects the time of Tenders and Divers on shift schedule. Most oilfield Divers do what is called Rotation scheduling. This is when the Divers, instead of diving during a shift, dive in a constantly revolving order. You wake up, do one dive as the Standby Diver (safety diver), then you dive, then either you're done for the next however many hours or more typically you do your decompression (post-dive compression chamber medical treatment).... You're supposed to have 12 hours off between dives, or ever being Standby Diver readiness, but that time can be shortened (and often is) through some dive table repetitive dive maths. In Inland world of diving the shortest day I've had (while still getting pay 8 hours) was 2 hours. Alaska dive Union has 8hour minimums. The longest contiguous shift I've had (non stop work) was 40 hours. Because that yacht was going to stop sinking, no matter how many holes we patched.
I did CDA in Florida and it was beyond a joke, save your money, I’m making more money going back to swinging a hammer. Do your research, contact the companies you wanna work for before committing!
@@MegaSlayerr I don't know the price right now, It was 40 000 NOK (i think) when i did it 4 years ago. Very good school with nice instructors, 4 months of great quality training for that price is a bargain! The only school where you are trained in closed bell in an air diving course. Also the area is beautiful, great landscape and 1 hour from Oslo, a great city. Accommodation and food is expensive though (everything is expensive in Norway). Maybe you can save a little money if you do it in Durban (South Africa) in about 2 months, but less time is less training the way i see it. Anyway, i had a great time and I highly recommend the NYD
@@DogDamour cheers for the reply dude, yeah I don't think I'd want to skimp on the training for a job like that , I'm pipe welding at the moment and dive in my spare time currently hoping to start my dive master , would that be any advantage ? Did you have any trouble finding work after the course do they support you any bit or are you thrown to the wolves sorta once ur training is up ? I really thinking about investing in this but wanna get as much info as possible.
@@MegaSlayerr You are welcome and sorry for the late reply! Well… I have been in the diving industry for a few years (was already doing that before I attended NYD) and I still sometimes struggle to find good jobs or longer than a few days. There are good and bad seasons, highs and lows, it is a very unstable business and most divers work as freelancers with several companies when the demand for divers requires them. So be ready to be active and persistent in job searching. It is not easy, and can be quite discouraging at first. It is not likely that you find a job through the school; I remember hearing from school staff that some norwegian companies contact them sometimes looking for divers, but norwegian divers. Once you finish your training, you will probably have to look for job by yourself unless you know someone in some company. If you are a certified and experience welder, I guess that makes quite a difference. The school has also an underwater welding course, that could be the way for you. But then, if you have a good, well paid (as I think pipe welding is, but i am not really sure) and somewhat stable job I would think twice before quitting it to become a diver, unless you really feel that is what you want to do. Most divers I have known are in the business because they love it, and not so much for the money, which is not a lot in most cases. Others are tired of it but have been doing that for too long and are a little bit too old to start again in something different. Also where you are from or where you live makes a difference, for example, you have more job opportunities and chance of success in your career in a country with offshore oil or big maritime industry. Beside diving, I have a college degree in nautical science and i am currently doing my cadet period to get my officer on the watch license. I love diving but haven’t got as far as I would like and expected in my career, last year i got very few job, I am not that young anymore and time is not on my side so I am not sure if will still be in the business in a few years. If you are young and really want to be a diver, go for it! Doing a divemaster course is not relevant in the commercial diving industry in my opinion, if you already dive and know you are confortable underwater, that is enough. I am a divemaster myself and also considering the possibility of making a living of the leisure/technical diving in the future, but understand that commercial and leisure diving are very different business. You can ask all that you want, I was also full of questions back in the day
Hello everyone
Been inland diving for 29 years . The school cost me $5,300.
I’ve spent years in swells , very strong currents, zero & very low visibility, being covered in mud , epoxies , oil , creosote hundreds of stings from jellyfish, cut & smashed fingers, burned from hot water machine , chemical burns from concrete & creosote.
Been in the water hundreds of times after heavy rains with half treated sewage floating by.
Another wonderful part of the job is when everything is frozen in the winter.
I primarily work in the nyc metro area so 2 &3 hour commutes & hundreds of dollars a month spent on tolls is not uncommon.
If i could go back I would of gone to a trade high school then went in the coast guard or Navy & then maybe some different trade like plumbing or electrical or got a job in law enforcement or on like a freight railroad.
I also regret not ever going offshore so if i was able to start over in diving i would definitely go offshore for valuable life experience for at least 3-5 years.
Great comment, I've been diving since 1987 and still loving it. Your experience is typical...mine was and is waaaay different
As an owner of a civil diving company everything this young man said was right on point. Dive schools are a business and make their money turning and burning students. The main point that was missing in his list is within the first year after students leave dive school 83% will not be working in this field. After the second year only 7% of all the divers who attended school will still be in the field. If you don’t believe this stat go back and see his point about the census bureau amount of working divers currently. Somewhere around 3500! Add up the main four schools plus the 6-10 fringe schools and see how many graduate each year, then multiply that by 5 years for a total amount of “qualified” divers. The number is going to be much much greater than the under 4K commercial divers actually working. Good luck it can be a challenging and rewarding profession but you must stay humble and put the work in.
Okay, I'd wager most of those people either don't have good work ethics or have an inflated idea that a fresh rookie is suitable for sat diving oil rigs for 6 figures. I'm the guy willing to put in the entry-level "bitch work" to prove I'm a reliable and trustworthy asset for my team. With experience comes marketability, and if that company won't advance your career, another one will. People do leave all the time whether to find something more family friendly, they hate it, or anything else. The bottom line is that it means open positions.
I for one am willing and able to put in the time and effort for training and doing the entry-level "bitch work." I understand the significance of it and I wouldn't trust the system any other way.
The people who can't handle or grasp these simple concepts shouldn't be working in this industry in the first place.
I understand in a capitalist society that companies and schools are for-profit. Even Ivy-league schools push bullshit degrees that make no money. No one should expect anything different from any other institution of a less prestigious and recognized education than the aforementioned.
It comes down to the will-power to get yourself into a careerfield you want to be in. The old saying if there's a will, there's a way. And if there isn't, make one.
Blows me away how shafted American divers are. 11 bucks an hour starting? 25 an hour average?
My god, straight out of school in Canada you're on at least 30 an hour, most guys I know are on 40-50 an hour.
I won't get wet for less than 30 an hour, that's insulting to a prefession that is inherently dangerous and very hard on the body.
what company do you work for ?
I agree with you
What company you work for
I agree
Much of what was said is relating to inland diving. We have no problem placing people at The Ocean Corp. Yes you start out as a tender in the Gulf and the pay is around $18/hour however, you are working/getting paid 12 hours/7 days a week. Like many jobs you have to pay your dues and work once out of school. Yes inland divers dive sooner than Gulf divers but that doesn't mean you won't get wet right out of school. Most companies start new guys on more shallow, less complex dives. Yes there is limited and zero visibility diving in the gulf but its not as bad as inland. I don't lie to any perspective students and let them know if they want to be a gulf diver they pretty much have to move to south La, its hard on relationships and it is hard work. Its what you make it. If you make good money but hate your job you wont have a very good quality of life.
I'm curious how often you follow up with the guys you place.
@@TheSaltyDiver
About as often as he follows up with TH-cam comments.
@@AZ-kr6ffspeak for yourself.
I’ve been accepted to a school in Huston and a school in Seattle, I’ve wanted to do this for years but why are careers like this not rewarded highly based on risk and skill?
Try CDT Institute
Don't go! Trust me read my other comment.
Try Santa Barbara City College. Top notch since the early 70s. I had a 35 year career after graduating.
@@zackmorgan4500 why you say that?
Excellent vision of our profession , it’s everything I tell people who ask about the job , still no regrets , fits me like a glove
so is the pay really shit and the jobs scarce? im thinking about the school but this dweeb scares me
thanks for the feed back 🙄
@@SonOfStoned you find anymore info?
@@SonOfStoned yes it really does suck. applied to 15 companies out of school and highest paying job was 18hr job/13hr shop. made just under 30k this last year. only people that make it are ones that gave up on life and have no future goals.
I watched these videos before going to school thinking "man this dude is just a dweeb, I can do this" nope... should've listened. everything he says is absolutely true
Hmm. I was interested in commercial diving for the impression I would be making good money, could travel, would involve some risk, could stay fit, all the while having some job security. It seems the reality is that there aren't many jobs, and the pay is not good... Dunno if it's for me.
Well all commercial divers are gonna be qualified space force mechanics!
Space is a myth, kindleloche. Wake up.
@@mihalispsychedelicrealeyes1284 the aether is the medium in which the ISS is sitting. So ya "space" as in a void is bullshit.
If you think the earth is flat you need to wake up and answer the question what is a torroid, a hyperbaloid and what does that have to do with the geometry of the earth
@josh simpson your sooo stupid, I said space is a myth and u pull flat earth right outta ur ignorant arse
Good day to u sir. Peace.
@@mihalispsychedelicrealeyes1284 the vast majority of people who say space is a myth are flat earthers lol you are full of enlightenment and substance
@@joshsimpson10 the majority of people are ignorant, like u. Peace. Enjoy ur life.
Diving is kind of what you make it .
A lot of people can talk the talk but when they can walk the walk they will get good paying work
If you want to be a commercial diver, you should consider becoming a union millwright. I joined my hall about 2 years ago. They will train you for free, and diving is one of the things we do. As a union millwright, you don't have to worry about finding work if diving gets slow, they will find other work for you. Also, you will never have to work for $11/hr. or any nonsense like that.
@David McKinsey What's your email, I cant afford these 30k schools without guaranteed jobs.
Which local are u in?
Union is the way to go
That’s great to be a millright & diver & all your benefits follow you
I’ve worked with some guys from an upstate ny local that were millrights & divers .
Good strategy
Delta P, look out, there's an accident about! Seriously good appraisal you give here. TH-cam has seemingly made this type of vocation somewhat "romantic" When I was young enough to train for this and scuba diving a lot, like three times or more per week; my neighbour, who I finally got to talk with (I saw him a lot but we never spoke more than a few words) told me he was driving a bus. He didn't look like any bus driver LOL and he wasn't. He told me he used to be a saturation diver on oil rigs (he had retired and was 50? at the time of retirement) and said he had bad knees which he reckon was from all of that commercial diving. I think one has to plan ahead carefully for retirement because it's not a job one can work till they are 65 (maybe so9me exceptions out there).
You forgot MANY things....
1) You think that you're a tough guy? Wait till they send you in a water tower for inspection. Most of you will turn down trust me. You have to climb a ladder and...climb...and climb. Then you have to haul your gear to the top. And IF you survive this, you then need to gear up and fit in hole too small for a mice. Once inside it's pitch black. And you have to be careful not to be dragged in the hole at the bottom...
2) If you go sat dive. You *absolutely* need to buy and bring a safe with you in the bell. Why? One guy stays inside, two guys out. The guy inside gets to eat ALL the sandwiches. No sandwich in a safe, not sandwich.
3) You will often feel "something" bumping on you. Sometimes.. a BIG something.
4) Current can be so strong at some locations that you'll do the flag quit often and even the most experienced and toughest diver may refuse that dive.
5) Don't go to Indonesia, those commercial divers are diving in a cheap overall made of cotton!
6) The deeper you go, the more wet the water is.
7) Never pee in your own dry or wet suit. Only in the rental ones or your friends ones.
8) You can go train in Houston for nuclear reactor dives. You'll then be ready for Halloween at all time. Green skin, 6 fingers and a ear on your forehead within a week.
9) Sex underwater? a must! ..at your own risk tho.
Thanks for the frank assessment of the stuff that doesn't appear in the dive school ads.
Jesus. Shit just got real. Yea thank you. I knew some of this but i didn't realize there was so many of us..
Based off my experience you are absolutely correct on every topic you spoke about . I was lucky to have had a lot of construction , mechanical , military experience prior to working for a Dive company in a environmental division prior to going to dive school...then went back to the same company and easing into it ...I was able to jump back and fourth until I was a full time union diver. This was back in the 90’s and early 2000’s . The attrition rate the first month or two is high ..higher than any job I know of.
how can one become a union diver?
Something you missed, Is it's work... hard work. especially the potable side, hauling your gear up mountains and towers...
I hear you there man, I've been working potable now for about 7 months, a lot of divers joke around and call it sissy work, but they have no idea the logistics this job calls for sometimes. rigging up all the equipment and diving on stand pipes and hydrosphere's is no joke, you have to be creative sometimes to make things work.
Working in the water world is my calling, still working-out funding and I am confident its gonna be a flying start for me this year
For me, sat dive is one of the most interesting jobs, but I will probably end up having to go with the popular scuba diving(not that big of a sacrifice) instead just for being easier to find jobs. :(
kirby morgan sounds like it would be good for me lol
I am at the divers institute of technology. We were told after school we would get hired and would start off making 80 to 85 a year. But we are learning about underwater welding and saturation diving not commercial.
im starting at dit in the october class i wanna go into offshore diving, is it worth it??
How did DIT work out for ya?
You can add #6 "I don't know why you did this. You're too old. But I took all your money." The Ocean Corp
Yeah, I get asked this question a lot. I never tell anyone what to do, but I make strong suggestions. I'd guess about 80% of the people I've talked to have completely ignored me, nobody has messaged me yet to say, "I told ya so."
@@TheSaltyDiver what is too old? I'm 29 and about to go to school but this has me scared along with finding a job not being a veteran.
@Tmusselman10 29 tsk.... not old, but too old...my opinion...commercial diver since 1987 ( first dive at 22 last dive[not yet 59 and still diving, oct 2024]) just add 6 years to your 29 (learning time) you'll be 35, 22 yr
will be 28. The 18 yr old will be 24...
Go figure. Try 8 years of law school( dive on your vacation) peace...just my opinion mind u...
Go in the military and be a diver. Full pay, medical insurance, retire after 20 years , lots of varied experience and military will pay for your college if you want to further your education.
This
Do you think it’s worth the money for saturation diving school at the Houston Ocean Corp?
Graduated T.O.C. in 1994 - he speaks truth. However, for me it was my best life's decision - although I'm no longer in the industry, it was absolutely the best thing that continues to reward me.
so your telling me pipe welders on land, make more money that welders underwater lol why do people work in these places makes no sense lol
Yea it doesn't make sense! Why not have a good paying job, and then go diving in your spare time. I work as a millwright in a papermill and make well over 30 an hour. I guess if it's what you love then it makes sense!
Because most people believes that commercial divers are well compensated so its a sort of bragging right that your're a commercial diver specially if they're trying to impress Narcissistic Chic.
Yup I was a pipe welder before going to dive school and spent 11 years diving . I can tell you if it’s money your after stay dry. If it’s something your passionate about and are willing to put the time in get wet. Also it will be hard on a relationship so I wouldn’t recommend if you have a family. Just my two cents.
Anyname willdo yup you gotta really love the job. Its a job not many people do so no matter what you will be the most interesting person in the room and everyone will be interested in your stories lol. Plus it gets you laid like no tomorrow, just sayin
I gotta believe it’s better than 30 yrs in the trucking business.i haul LPG around Florida & make around $65,000 year
Hey brother, I'm wanting haul too I'm also from Florida. I got. A year left on contract before i get out of the military. Any insight you can give me, advice?
my friend was doing this 10 years ago and he was making around 30-40 an hour. I was looking at jobs today and most pay between 12-20, wtf happened?
Too many people getting in to the trade and from all over the world, created a huge glut.
I recently got into an argument with a guy on linkedin about this. Its a logical fallacy called, "Argument From Authority." Its where you base your perception of an issue on your experience alone without taking other experiences into account. Some people make good money diving. Those people are extremely few and far between. This rumor that divers make a lot of money is what perpetuates divers not making anything. Diving companies couldn't care less if you don't want to do a sketchy dive, they can fire you and have someone new in a couple of hours.
@@TheSaltyDiver wow, I was under the impression that this was a dangerous job, and not many people wanted to/could do it.
There's plenty of jobs, most people get out of school and can't handle being away from family, or can't handle the initial pay.
Put in 5 years, and you'll make 400k+ a year in SAT. the entire profession is dangerous, so do it.
Any schools you suggest?
any school recommendations
really...just like that.......ex 70/80's Oceaneering
Good you mentioned the great,great pay.
I didn't wanna mention it because most won't get there, just like the movie 300," only the few only the strong" peace to all yall...
It’s only 30k if you go to CDA or DIT. Go to SBCC MDT and it’s under 12k and you get the absolute BEST training. The other schools don’t teach you SHIT!! I’m a union commercial diver in Alaska and that school is the only way to go. I e also worked in the GOM and California east coast.
Some companies pay hazardous pay for jobs that call for it.
I have no interest in becoming a commercial diver but I’m getting recommend so many commercial diving videos
Glad I found this video, the money was one of the biggest things I looked for in wanting a career
Watching you guys down there on TH-cam scares the shit out of me you guys have balls thank you for the video and good luck man
Just found your channel while doing some research on commercial diving schools. I graduated from a four year welding apprentice course and was looking into adding commercial diving to expand my opportunities after i retire from my full time job (law enforcement). listening to your comments about the salary I'm wondering if its worth it. It still looks interesting to me, are there many opportunities on the east coast?
There is a lot of turnover in the industry, and a few hundred new dive school graduates every month. So jobs are out there. If you come from a law enforcement background you might look into public safety diving. That would probably be a more stable career course and honestly probably more lucrative.
Nothing to do with this video, but you said in another video that you always answer questions. So my question is, I have a 3mm wet suit. Pretty sure I’m drying it right. By hanging it on the shower curtain rod. I think that’s fine, but was told that’s wrong. I will also be attending DIT in the spring. Anything helps man
Okay, so i'm just now getting back in the swing of things, so sorry for the late reply and you probably already know. drying your wetsuit just put it anywhere thats dry. I throw it over the side of my truck now.
How was DIT
Thanks for the tips man. And for getting to the point
I just got a job on a cruise ship as a Carpet cleaner/ Janitor basically and I was thinking. Put in 1 year on the ship and walk away with 90k in my pocket and Go to commercial diving school. But if jobs are scarce , How does one score a 150k 3 month gig.? Is there like a diving roster?
Man - I REALLY LOVE DIVING and want to do that job. I hate my job now. But I have a wife and four kids and it sounds like this wouldn't pay the bills and it would be hard to find work. ...too bad.
Hey Salty,
I’m 42 years old and wonder if I’m too old to go to dive school. What are your thoughts or advice. I’m in good shape I’ve been a fighter in my 20s and coach now in my 30s to present.
You'll have a hard time finding a job at that age
I met this dude that was around 60 years of age , He was a mean commercial diver from hell , he broke out as a commercial diver in the north sea , he didn't ask any young guys for anything , if he wanted do something , he would go and do it . Right now I'm 49 years I'm a jack of all trades and a fucking commercial diver .
@kirby morgan well that's your opinion explain that to 6 if my friends that are 45 plus that never dove out of dive school. Ther previous company I worked for all the supervisors were 45 plus and were still in rotation. But that's one out of 4 companies
Yes you're too old to get started. Unless you want to be a tender or rack operator etc
@@sgfpat physically no problem. but you'll have to overcome a lot of politics with younger guys...it's competitive..I started late at 27
Honestly i jus enrolled to go to dit in seattle. I toured the facility and loved it but im scared shitless about the lack of work. I would greatly appreciate it if you could answer a few questions i have. I dont mean to be obnoxious but iv been anxious ever since.
Don't depend on that. Learn aw pipe welding and get as many certs in that line as well because you will need back up jobs that aren't diving if you want a stable life. Keep developing other skills on the side when you are not diving since your diving job will lay waste to your health by 40 to 45.
No worries guys i appreciate all the help but I didnt go. I love the idea but they really do want too much money to get into this with no guarantee of any return... A damn shame.
@@brandonteal7211 Right l think you made a good decision and even if you still want to get in to it there are much cheaper ways to go about it. But unless you have a big passion for diving it's simply not worth it when there are so many other things you can get in to through vocational training that will provide you with a much better life stability to financial return equation.
You must work inland jobs a lot, im still in school but to me the jobs you said you've been on sounds like inland.
And he responded in the comments about sat jobs paying 25/hr out of hearsay from a friend saying depth pay wasn't a factor 🙄
I looked it up and tried finding any article or pdf upload stating that and there were crickets. Honestly if someone speaks for an industry (being the sat diving on dsv's) and they're aren't even involved then they should just not even say anything. Sat divers are very tight nit so best thing to do in search of information about the gig is ask one.
Very true , offshore rigs make u tender for 2 years and then dive . You start out at 25 an hour and 500 a dive when u start diving . That’s for offshore drilling rigs tho.
$25 as a tender?
More like 17.50
Australia screams for commercial divers and the pay is better here oh and our safety standards too
Its just about everywhere except the US. I hate regulation, but the diving industry here is a huge failure of oversight. Two people set the standards for dive training, both of them work for these high priced dive schools. The schools all feed into the ADCI system and if you don't go to an ACDE (which is basically a front for ADCI) you don't get to play.
Hay your 1 of the 1st youtube divers i ever watched,now i own my own company diving on lake union.I have afew questions about getting subscribers if ya have a sec?
Thanks... I thought I wanted to be a commercial diver; fuck that.
Currently at IDI, they tell you straight up that your probably not gunna be Diving straight out of Dive school. Anyone who doesnt know, most SAT Schools wont even take you unless you have 1 year of DIVING experience, not tendering. Plus there is alot of additional training: DCBC, Loyds Welding (Only 1 guy in the US that is certified and teaches it in the US, currently at IDI..). Also being a Veteran, IDI is a Veteran Owned and Operated School... also its only 26k for Veteran Students, GI Bill/VOC Rehab pays for it all... jjst saying.. #nodebt
Getting ready to apply there how do you like it?
Do they take financial aid and what is the full name for the school, I never heard of it
Nice information, srry if I may ask. In that diver school, hw they going to teach u al the courses, e.g., underwater welding diver, offshore air diver, inshore diver, harbour diver... pls reply me🙏
Bro I am interested in under water welding course which is the better institute to join
Best plan ever. Just join the military as a Union Welder. You already have a foot in because employers will see that the military pays for practically everything including your medical Bill's therefore that's a green flag for the employer.
Being away from family is the hardest part I think.
Please suggest me the best commercial driving school
What are your thoughts on Commercial Diving Technologies in Hudsonville FL, and and IDI in Charleston SC? I am 45 years old and I've been a "sport/rescue" diver for 35 years and hold a Masters Captains license through the USCG. Do you think I'm wasting my money and time? Thank you for all of your interesting videos!
I've had many conversations with those guys down at Commercial Diving Technologies. They have all come off to me as honest and straight up guys. 45 does seem a little old to get into the career, but I think the master captain license may make up for it, that's a solid qualification. My best friend went to IDI, he enjoyed it. They seem to have a solid program as well. If you choose to do it I would probably swing for Hudsonville, but I think either is a good choice.
Does anybody know anything about D.I.T in Seattle Washington I’m thinking of attending soon.thanks in advance
just know that the industry is saturated and your gonna have to work your way up to become a diver and not a tender
I plan on going there 2, far as ive heard they are great
thomas welinski what’s a tender?
@@izzirv basically a deck hand
You could always just join the Navy and save yourself the 30k on the school and get paid while training . plus end up with the GI bill to take different courses when you get out or while still in . DIT teaches you the US Navy construction dive course and even uses the same books , at least when I went . Also unless you have a background in construction/mechanics/fabrication, engineering etc it’s going to take you years to reach the good paying jobs.
I was raised around commercial construction , my dad built gas stations for 30 years . So I was young when I was digging ditches and fitting pipe , finishing concrete , swinging a hammer , etc etc..then I joined the Army and became a helicopter mechanic and crew chief. Got out and went to work again for dad. Dad wanted to semi retire and focus on his gas station he owned so the company shut down and my brothers and I went to work for other companies. I just happened to end up getting a job at a commercial dive company that was expanding their environmental division into doing underground tank removals from gas stations etc... while working there I heard how much a union diver made . Since I learned how to scuba dive at 10 years old I figured I could pass the courses at DIT. So I asked for the time off to go to DIT and complete the courses. It still took me about two years to become a full time union diver and it wasn’t at the company I started at.
There are a lot more regulations in place which makes it even harder to out last the attrition rate from layoffs and new recruits the schools pump out every month etc. in theory the new four man dive team will employ more divers ..but the downside is there are now twice the guys trying to get wet for the same job.
Almost anybody can blow bubbles underwater...it is what you can do all alone in the dark fast , efficient , is what employers want . So the more you can do topside work related the better off you are. Also , you better not have any issues with anxiety, confined spaces , skin irritations from petroleum products etc . Put it this way , there are far far more Spec Ops guys in the Army alone than there are commercial divers, and there are reasons why. Demand is one factor and the competition for top tier divers is fierce . Also , get used to being yelled at and hazed for the first part of your career. All that said , once a guy has a reputation the work is plentiful. I know of several guys I worked with that are still at it 20 years later
The danger side ..I also had one of my old co workers die while at a different company. I knew more people in the Army that died on the job however. Both of those industries are dangerous and if you do it long enough, odds are you will eventually learn about lose.
Get a plan and follow it the best you can.
It’s a total crapshoot in this industry. I graduated CDA in 2003. Didn’t learn shit there. Everything thing I learned was from experience on the job. I was lucky to get on with UCC in Connecticut on a nuke job in Japan. From there an inland company out of Florida. The key is when you get your shot bust ass and don’t complain. You’re gonna get the shit jobs if you’re the FNG. Yeah the water is uncomfortable in the winter but ignore that shit. It may be your only shot. Make the most of it. You’re only as good as your last dive.
Go to a real dive school, they would have trained you better. They would have taught you to make good decisions. You would have never gotten sick if you had the right training.
I'm sorry, i must have fallen asleep the day they went over pre-dive water quality testing for infectious waterborne diseases.
Hi, thks buddy ! I will begin in my school diving in France this year, so thks for your advice men 👌🤙
@@pl-mn2ro thk's buddy 🤘
Hey bro
What is your opinion about scuba diving as a career
Thank you for your time sir!
Don’t believe the recruiter ! Been a dive industry from Katrina years to pre Obama leaving office .... thanx Prez!!!!
You mention there aren't a lot of jobs: what about going international? Do other cou tries figure in your statistic?
This guy is full of shit. Ian a 10 year veteran. 6 years in the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe, 40% of my 10 years has been in great to ok visibility. So.etimes , no vis. I did this work because it was a dream. I did 6 years in the Gulf, 3 years in New York's East River and 1 year in Cali's Santa Barbara channel. Loved it. Do your dream and don't listen to negative people like this.
Hey Everyone, I am a scuba diving instructor since 10 years, our jobs are not sable and life is getting just harder every year, so i 'm thinking of changing my career to commercial diving, i have heard a lot about the risk/benefits of being in there, i am taking the course in NYD Norway, does it really worse it passing it there ? the cost of the course is all what i have, could someone please advice me ? Thanks
I have a question is the education hard , meaning the class word. Can anybody pass class work🔎📝 or?
It has been , so far, the easiest school I have ever attended
Do you weld under water salty diver? Or are you more maintenance, and how deep do you dive?
I would like to join course for commercial divers......will it helps me to get a job in the fiels
Why do guys go to these very expensive $30 plus thousand dollar dive schools when you can go to young’s memorial Slcc dive academy in Louisiana for like 9 grand? I don’t get it. It’s been around forever
I am a commercial diver , a freshly diver just finished diving school with 81 hours .looking for work anything sites or companies I can apply to ?
Did you find any?
I’ve been looking into commercial diving, currently in my senior in high school in the LA of California any tips ideas, school choices ? As far from what’s said in this video
Santa Barbara community college
there is a school in San Diego also, NUPI
Don't do it. I started a dive business in FL with zero schooling making minimum $150 hourly working on and cleaning the bottom of boats. Could never understand why anyone would want to be a hat diver? Less money, loss of life higher along with busting balls.
@@johnusavage3051 What would be the name of your profession? How do I get into it?
@@glardian966 Boat hull cleaning that also includes replacing anodes (zincs usually), prop pulling, in-water fiberglass repair, recovering things and providing video of work performed. First, you have to reside near water. Salt water preferably although zebra muscles are now in fresh water. They act like hydraulic cement: very hard to scrape off. Next, buy equipment, insurance and start advertising on FB, Craigslist, flyers at marinas and boat stores and your own website. Before going out on your own you may want to work for a boat hull cleaning business to learn a few things.
Everything you said is 100 correct You just have to make The decision is it right for you. hazmatiq probably one of the highest paid diving jobs you can get🎉 if you're young join the Navy and come on Navy diver get the experience then when you get out if you get a job anywhere I was 20 years demolitions Navy diver
hey salty, did you go to santa barbara community college? and are you an inland diver? or an offshore diver?
Can you please recommend a commercial diving school in india
which are the four major commercial diving schools?
I know of CDA in Florida and DIT in Seattle
The four major schools are not necessarily the best. The big schools charge an arm and a leg, but they ALL teach the same thing as per ANSI requirements. Biggest schools: DIT in Seattle, DAI in Jacksonville, and DAI in Erial NJ. Best schools for your buck: SBCC in santa barbara, Commercial Diving Technologies in Hudsonville FL, and IDI in Charleston SC.
The cheapest and most thorough school is SBCC MDT in Santa Barbara. I paid $3,000 for my schooling as a California resident. Non residents pay around $12,000. They will teach you WAY more than any other school and it’s in SB... tons of hotties everywhere
Since there's alot of travel my idea was to just get an rv. Before I drop the cash on this can anyone in the industry tell if me if this is as good of an idea as I think it is or is it just dumb?
I rather like the idea of not having an apartment and always being close(ish) to my books. So it seems like a grand idea to me. Any advice on this matter would be highly appreciated
You travel quite a distance if you want to stay actively employed, thousands of miles back and forth. Best bet is to live as light, simple, and ready to travel on the drop of a dime. RV will seriously weigh you down and between maintenance costs and the amount of $ you will be forking out for fuel with all of the long distance travel that you must be willing to do, you're much better off just living simple, no RV, and hop a plane to each new job location. Just do some research on your next job destination each time and then figure out the best way to live cheap there so that when you arrive you already know where to go.
How hard is it to get into the rigging side specifically?
hi, how good do i have to dive to even get in? im 17 curently a padi rescue diver going for divemaster and intrested in commercial diving any tips?
All you have to is be able to pee clean and turn a wrench. And sometimes you don't even have to turn a wrench.
Aside from being underwater, there aren't many similarities between recreational and commercial diving. It sounds like you are quite comfortable in the water and that is the first step. The hardest part of the job is the lifestyle. Whether you work inland or offshore, you will be away from home for weeks or months at a time.
Can anyone tell me any good schools for commercial diving in Europe??
Please make a video on saturation diving pros, cons, and pay..... I'm almost 27 yrs old and looking to become saturation diving. I need true guidance
I knew a guy who was an offshore diver. He told me the SAT divers were making about $25/hr. A few years ago many companies also did away with depth pay. So, not great, higher risk, you will be cold literally all the time in and out of the water (it has to do with the density of HeO2 mixture or something). Sounds like a bum gig to me. Look on linkedin and message a SAT diver. There is a guy named Doug West who seems like a good cool dude who is willing to talk to people. He does some product stuff for DUI too.
Hey guys this may be an unrelated question, but if ive had an ACL surgery meaning metal screws in my knee, would i still be able to do Wet welding or will the current damage and dissolve the screws
Man, that is a super interesting question. I'm going to ask someone and get back to you.
@@TheSaltyDiver thanks very much bro, i definitely appreciate it
A source with ADCI tells me you're fine. "Nope he is fine. The screw would have to be grounded and since it is covered by meat, skin and most of the time a wet suit it will not ground out. I have had rods in my lower back for years."
@@TheSaltyDiver thanks so much i appreciate the feedback, i was concerned about it because i was reading about the issues with Metal fillings in teeth but what you said makes sense.
Oh, the thing with the teeth has to do with air being trapped behind the fillings. It will expand and contract based on your depth and could cause a lot of pain. I believe it's called a tooth squeeze.
I have a personal question about this job. Met a guy online & is" now a long distance relationship" with many questions due to scams. he says he's located in Alaska on a 6 mth contract is this Normal? 2 he says he not aloud to video chat near the work site which he's always at ? Cell phones are prohibited on site for the same reason both due to high frequencies from Wi-Fi networks that can be dangerous with the gas lines, oxygen tanks... this true? Now saying he dropped his phone in the water & asking me to get him a new rugged quality phone on my carrier plan & ship him it... So he has a working, rugged phone to talk to me daily when done work & in his ? Since it's his contract he's run out of his 30% to start the job & ran out buy buying equipment & material & needs to find 8000$ for a ... to do the job... can anyone help to clarify these questions. Plsss & tks
He is trying to scam you.
Sounds like a typical construction job. My son is doing this now going to schoolI’m a union carpenter over 20 years. Have my own business tell my guys work is not consistent save your money
I make $75.00/hr with a minimum of 8 hours a day in the Cook Inlet. My deck hand pay is 32/hr. The longest hitch I’ve done is almost 4 months straight. We work heavy in the union and they train you to be a welder and Pilebuck so if you run out of dive work you can do a shit ton of other things that ALL pay better than GOM diving
You got info email. Do I need to graduate dive school to get hired
Solitude is a Blessing yes you have to graduate an accredited dive school before working in the field. I work for American Marine International out of Alaska and they hire 90% employees out of SBCC MDT in California
@@rjvonhammer1414 let me ask you this.... did it take 2 years Because on there website it say Asscoiete degree for the course.
Solitude is a Blessing no it does not take 2 years. It takes 8 months to get your commercial diving certifications. If you want the full degree then you can stay an extra semester for your EMT, most guys don’t do that.
On the money you forgot about offshore mixed gas
Yeah roger that. I made damn good money in offshore oil. My first check was over 1800 in 1 week. And i hit the water the very first day, (after the divers made their rotation). This guy is definitely an inland diver, or TENDER, from the offshore industry.
Michael Merchant I’m about to star school July 6 my friend and I’m been reading a lot of mix comments about this career what’s your opinion in this industry is it dying ? Are you employed right now ?
Carlos Puig its easy to get a job but not a good one as a red hat be ready to do super shitty work all day and yes the industry is dying offshore due to rovs
Jacob Hilpert this is pretty sad for one second I thought I found something I was gonna like make a living I sign up to start on July 6 at commercial diving technologies in Hudson Florida but it’s amazing all the stories they tell you just to sell you the program and get your money thanks for your time replying to me I will consider this more and more
Jacob Hilpert what if my main goal is to become a saturation diver ?
Can I take my dog when I travel?
Cool video! I had no idea the pay was so low tho
hey im about to graduate dive school any companies i should look out for?
Did you find any?
Your plan would probably be good for a few years until you are experienced & build a network of guys in the business to work with
Hi bro commercial dive how much deep going may be
If you right now had to restart would you go to commercial diving or rec diving as a job
No question, 10/10 times I would be a commercial diver. I love it.
It's definitely not for most. However, for some people, it's the best job in world. Commercial diving has left me with a fractured vertebra and if given the choice to do it all again, I would.
@@pl-mn2ro sorry to hear that I'm currently rec but have been thinking of commercial for a while
I am a millwright and I am looking into becoming a commercial diver will my trade be of use in this industry?
No!
question salty I am in a new relationship with a senior diver lifetime at it ... he said he may stop doing it the middle of this year or next putting his age then at 65 so my question is do you have any statistics on how many of these guys have successful relationships when the other woman is their job? I am brand new to long-distance relation shipping and I took on a booger for my first experience... matter of fact if you happen to know of a support group for the spouses of divers let me know. thank you, Robin, in love with a bubblehead♥
sir can you give information about underwater welding plz
Kind of a big broad topic. Is there specific Information you are looking for?
@@TheSaltyDiver I hear the huge money is a myth and not many Jobs. Plz answer
This comment, LOL
does your company specialize? Like, do inland companies generally cater to specific jobs like one does water towers, another does powerplants, another does bridge inspection, dredging and salvage, etc or are most of em pretty broad in terms of services offered? I always thought it would be cool to do the water tower stuff.
From what I understand, most inland companies do have a specialization. We do structural inspections, but there is a lot of different stuff out there. Underwater weed removal, the water tower stuff. On some random chance we ran into another completely different dive team in LA that did something with paper-mills.
A little bit of death never hurt anybody
Thnak you a lot on info in a short time
It's true Gulf of Mexico work is hit and more miss, with 3 years to break out to be a diver at low pay
Anyone know the best diving school in canada
Divesafe International
Ummm 11 dollars an hour??? We make 11 an hour at micky ds
ya and I make 12 at a car wash
Looking at CDA commercial diving academy in Javksonville florida, anyone know anything bout them.
Check out the video I did on dive schools. I would suggest commercial diving technologies or IDI if you're on the east coast
CDA is a shitshow. We got 7 CDA Students here at IDI that transferred and they have told us how shitty they are.
You need to go to DIT if you want a good dive school
Why? Whats wrong with that school?
@@reverseastronaut643
@@nateclift2294 i haven't gone but from what i hear and see:
Up to 30 students per class so less 1 on 1
It cost 30k for the class
The living quarters is trash
Do research on IDI if you're om the east coast. Or CDT in west central florida. I attend IDI soon. Great people ive talked to on the phone, and they seem to actually care about my questions unlike CDA did.
How many hours do u guys work a day on average?
Office: typical hours; field: as long as there is daylight
Oil field: 12/day
Inland (Union, Non-Union): 8-12
These numbers don't reflect some finer points of the job.
Oilfield: You're out at sea weeks to months at a time. 12 hours on, 12 hours off. And your off hours also will have a 30 minute safety meeting, any of your toiletry needs, and two of your meal times.... And this only reflects the time of Tenders and Divers on shift schedule. Most oilfield Divers do what is called Rotation scheduling. This is when the Divers, instead of diving during a shift, dive in a constantly revolving order. You wake up, do one dive as the Standby Diver (safety diver), then you dive, then either you're done for the next however many hours or more typically you do your decompression (post-dive compression chamber medical treatment).... You're supposed to have 12 hours off between dives, or ever being Standby Diver readiness, but that time can be shortened (and often is) through some dive table repetitive dive maths.
In Inland world of diving the shortest day I've had (while still getting pay 8 hours) was 2 hours. Alaska dive Union has 8hour minimums. The longest contiguous shift I've had (non stop work) was 40 hours. Because that yacht was going to stop sinking, no matter how many holes we patched.
I did CDA in Florida and it was beyond a joke, save your money, I’m making more money going back to swinging a hammer. Do your research, contact the companies you wanna work for before committing!
Dude.... you probably didn't try to be a diver. Just pissed you had to learn to be a tender first.
Glad you survived that place
5:13 and what if these all 1200 students see that video🙄🙄 then it's the same thing again hahahhahahhahahahahhahahhah
Have you heard for NYD in norway ?
good school, i attended there
@@DogDamour Whats it like? i was looking at there prices, 5k euro for course ?
@@MegaSlayerr I don't know the price right now, It was 40 000 NOK (i think) when i did it 4 years ago. Very good school with nice instructors, 4 months of great quality training for that price is a bargain! The only school where you are trained in closed bell in an air diving course. Also the area is beautiful, great landscape and 1 hour from Oslo, a great city. Accommodation and food is expensive though (everything is expensive in Norway). Maybe you can save a little money if you do it in Durban (South Africa) in about 2 months, but less time is less training the way i see it. Anyway, i had a great time and I highly recommend the NYD
@@DogDamour cheers for the reply dude, yeah I don't think I'd want to skimp on the training for a job like that , I'm pipe welding at the moment and dive in my spare time currently hoping to start my dive master , would that be any advantage ?
Did you have any trouble finding work after the course do they support you any bit or are you thrown to the wolves sorta once ur training is up ? I really thinking about investing in this but wanna get as much info as possible.
@@MegaSlayerr You are welcome and sorry for the late reply! Well… I have been in the diving industry for a few years (was already doing that before I attended NYD) and I still sometimes struggle to find good jobs or longer than a few days. There are good and bad seasons, highs and lows, it is a very unstable business and most divers work as freelancers with several companies when the demand for divers requires them. So be ready to be active and persistent in job searching. It is not easy, and can be quite discouraging at first.
It is not likely that you find a job through the school; I remember hearing from school staff that some norwegian companies contact them sometimes looking for divers, but norwegian divers. Once you finish your training, you will probably have to look for job by yourself unless you know someone in some company. If you are a certified and experience welder, I guess that makes quite a difference. The school has also an underwater welding course, that could be the way for you. But then, if you have a good, well paid (as I think pipe welding is, but i am not really sure) and somewhat stable job I would think twice before quitting it to become a diver, unless you really feel that is what you want to do. Most divers I have known are in the business because they love it, and not so much for the money, which is not a lot in most cases. Others are tired of it but have been doing that for too long and are a little bit too old to start again in something different.
Also where you are from or where you live makes a difference, for example, you have more job opportunities and chance of success in your career in a country with offshore oil or big maritime industry. Beside diving, I have a college degree in nautical science and i am currently doing my cadet period to get my officer on the watch license. I love diving but haven’t got as far as I would like and expected in my career, last year i got very few job, I am not that young anymore and time is not on my side so I am not sure if will still be in the business in a few years. If you are young and really want to be a diver, go for it! Doing a divemaster course is not relevant in the commercial diving industry in my opinion, if you already dive and know you are confortable underwater, that is enough. I am a divemaster myself and also considering the possibility of making a living of the leisure/technical diving in the future, but understand that commercial and leisure diving are very different business.
You can ask all that you want, I was also full of questions back in the day