BSAC TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS Information Sheet G.1 CAREERS IN COMMERCIAL DIVING
As the UK governing body for the sport of underwater swimming, the British Sub-Aqua Club has no direct dealings with commercial diving activities and therefore can only offer basic information on this subject.
There are various career opportunities in commercial diving, marine science and technology. Universities and colleges, which offer such specialist courses, will be able to tell you more about career opportunities in marine sciences.
In order to comply with Health and Safety at Work legislation, persons seeking employment as a commercial diver in Great Britain must hold a Certificate of Diver Training, issued by a diving school approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). According to the nature of the commercial diving work you hope to pursue, different levels of certification are available:
HSE Scuba Diver: Air Diving with self-contained equipment where no surface compression chamber is required on site.
HSE Surface Supply Diver: Air Diving where no surface compression chamber is required on site.
HSE Surface Supply (Top Up) Diver: Air Diving where surface compression chamber
is required on site.
HSE Closed Bell Diver: Mixed Gas and / or Bell Diving
Each qualification level covers the capabilities of the preceding one. Only Surface Supply (Top Up) Diver and Closed Bell Diver certificates are acceptable for working offshore.
In UK, training courses offered by the H&SE approved commercial diver training schools listed overleaf lead to such certificates. On completion of diver training, these schools may be able to place successful students with companies wishing to employ divers.
It should be understood that the majority of career opportunities in commercial diving are for divers with engineering or scientific skills. It is therefore advisable to continue your education, or seek additional education and training in order to acquire the technical skills needed by those who employ divers. People can be taught to dive relatively quickly: learning the specialist skills which an employer needs usually takes much longer, and should be the priority for any young person planning a career in commercial diving. Possession of an 'entry level' recreational diving qualifications is necessary before embarking on a commercial diver training course.
Commercial diver training schools offering all H&SE approved courses:
The Underwater Centre, Fort William, Inverness PH33 6LZ
Telephone: 01397 703786 Fax: 01397 704969
Email:
tuc@stenmar.com
Stenmar Ltd. 16 Denmore Industrial Estate, Denmore Road, Aberdeen, AB23 8JW
Tel: 01224 827288 Fax: 01224 827289
E-mail:
stenmar@stenmar.com
Interdive Services, 22 Leyford Close, Wembury, Devon PL9 0HX
Tel: 01752 863235 Fax: 01752 862833
web:
www.interdive.co.uk
Commercial Diver Training and Services, The Neuk, Corpach, Fort William PM33 7LR
Tel 01397 772244
Commercial diver training school offering SCUBA only H&SE approved courses:
DV Diving, 138 Mountstewart Road, Newtownards, Co. Down, Northern Ireland BT22 2ES
Telephone & Fax +44 (0)28 91 464671
Email:
info@dvdiving.co.uk H&SE First Aid training:
The National Hyperbaric Centre Ltd. 123 Ashgrove Road West, Aberdeen AB16 5FA,
Tel: 01224-698 895 Fax: 01224-692 222
Email:
nhc@hyperbar.demon.co.uk
There are also a small number of specialist Commercial Diver Training Schools attached to Universities which offer courses in marine sciences. The full list of such schools can be obtained from: Diving Policy Division, Health & Safety Executive, Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HS Telephone: 0207 717 6763 Fax: 0207 717 6911.
Career Development Loans to meet the cost of training as a commercial diver may be available from the Department of Employment. You are advised to seek more information from your local DoE Office.
(c) 04/03. The British Sub-Aqua Club, Telford's Quay, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 4FL