Anyone Got Any Info For Me ?

[MR TURNER]

JUST A FEW LINES TO ASK IF ANYONE OUT THERE KNOWS THE SECRET TO GETTIN YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR OF THE COMMERCIAL DIVING WORLD ? IM A NAVY DIVER WHO IS LEAVING THE SERVICE NEXT MONTH AND HAVE SENT OFF A LOAD OF CV'S AND LETTERS TO COMPANYS IN THE UK BUT STILL NO JOY. SO IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS ANY INFO OR CONTACTS THAT I COULD FOLLOW UP GIVE ME A SHOUT AND I'LL PUT YOU TOP OF MY CHRISTMAS CARD LIST !!! topsytoonarmy@aol.com

[Paul Oliver]

Welcome to YD, no need to shout mate

[Chriz]

There's a bloke called Steve Fila at the Diver Training College in York, he's a nice chap.

(not just a college, they do commercial stuff as well)

Chris/z

(If you ever come across an old AGA.....)

[Dangerous Dan]

Have a look at some information on here:

http://www.longstreath.com/

Hope that Helps

[Frog]

I did a weekend up there a couple of years ago. Decided commercial diving a) wasn't for me and if it was, b) I couldn't afford it anyway. Up at Fort William, might be a bit far for you, but they might give you addys etc of somewhere closer to home?

http://www.theunderwatercentre.co.uk/

Worth a try/look anyway. Be safe, dive safely. Ribbet.

[Buoyant Babe]

Welcome to the boards and good luck with your quest. Ahh, South Shields...God's Country!

[doff]

A few notes on 'how to':
First - to be a commercial diver in the UK you have no choice but to be an HSE Approved diver. This means an HSE Approved Commercial diver course. However you can economise on this if you are ex-military diver by undergoing an Experience and Comptetence Assessment at one of the HSE Approved schools (I'd go for the new one www.professionaldivingacademy.com).

Second - look at the IMCA website for guides to careers - this is the International Marine Contractors Association which is the trade body for all the major diving compamies arounfd the world www.imca-int.com

Third - surprisingly times are good to get a job after your course due to diver shortage in the Gulf of Mexico following the Hurricanes and the price of oil making every oil co. in the world desperate to get it out of the ground - the same cannot be said for diver rates which are still 'mixed' - especially if you get a non-UK job as a 'baby' diver. They will take advantage of you as you are desperate to prove yourself and need the experience for your cv.

Fourth - look a the www.longstreath.com website as a good indication of the wonderful people you may end up working with....if you don't like what you see stay at home.
Fifth - if anyone tells you you will earn £1000 per day they are not quite all there.... some jobs do pay well but it will take you years to get the. If you are prepared to hang in you are one of the few.
Six - if you are just doing it for the money - become a plumber.

[Lou]

I would also suggest getting someone to proof read your cv and covering letters if your post is anything to go by. It doesn't make a very good first impression, to be honest, and you need that to even be considered on a cold call.

[Andy the Coastie]

Originally Posted by MR TURNER

JUST A FEW LINES TO ASK IF ANYONE OUT THERE KNOWS THE SECRET TO GETTIN YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR OF THE COMMERCIAL DIVING WORLD ? IM A NAVY DIVER WHO IS LEAVING THE SERVICE NEXT MONTH AND HAVE SENT OFF A LOAD OF CV'S AND LETTERS TO COMPANYS IN THE UK BUT STILL NO JOY. SO IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS ANY INFO OR CONTACTS THAT I COULD FOLLOW UP GIVE ME A SHOUT AND I'LL PUT YOU TOP OF MY CHRISTMAS CARD LIST !!! topsytoonarmy@aol.com

Shall i give you the biggest tip of all.........

Change your e:mail address, if an e:mail was sent to me from a address like this >>>> topsytoonarmy@aol.com <<<< Doesn't really help your case. I gethundreds of e:mails from people asking for advice or jobs, the ones i read / stick out in my inbox are ones with a good subject line and e:mail address like thier REAL NAME.

Things like

jim_the _diver @
jimthediver @
i'm the real tech diver @


Now, if you don't mine , send me your CV and if you really must a covering letter.. I will not only prove read it for you , but also let some of my contacts know your position.


Andy

[yellowduke]

Hello Jack some advice from a pongo here! Don't know how much time you have put in but I hope you have made use of all the resettlement and education perks open to you. The Career Transition Workshop is the place for CV writing and interview techniques. The resettlement grant will pay a fair old wedge of your commercial training and expenses. Don't forget you can use your Enhanced Learning Credits even after you go outside. If you haven't done the time to qualify for the maximum resettlement help then sign back up!

A couple of useful links below and don't forget the legion is a good help to service leavers too.

Jim


http://www.enhancedlearningcredits.com/mssql/index.html
http://www.questonline.co.uk/