Career Change?

[Bantam]

So, here's the skinny. And it's a shocker.

Ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper I've wanted to be a commercial diver. In fact, my whole thing was to be a Navy Diver. I even have a thing from when I was 5 from school which was 'What do you want to be when you grow up' and I'd written (badly) 'A Diver'.

Except I now wear glasses. Rules me out for being a navy diver as the career office said I needed 20-20 vision.

So, I do IT as a career because it's easy, and at the time I couldn't afford the cost of the commercial ticket and my folks wouldn't stump it up either.

My brain still tells me I want to be a commercial diver. I don't want the 9-5 office routine. I want the crap work and the unsocial hours because I know I would enjoy it.

So at 32 I feel it's time for a change.

I've made my mind up that I'm going to do my commie cert, esp now I can afford it of sorts. After scuba diving for 18 years it's time I became a proper diver.

So, my thoughts were to go to The Underwater Centre in Fort William and do the 9 week standard commercial package, which covers both inshore and offshore;

• HSE First Aid at Work
• HSE Surface Supplied
• HSE Surface Supplied (Top-up)
• HSE Scuba
• Part Tools Assessment (optional)

So, apart from 'Don't do it' (I predict from Andy) because I fully intend to do it this time, what advice as a commie would you give me.

Note - I know the work may be few and far between and the pay not as good as it was, but give me some tools and a job to do and I'll be a happy bunny at the bottom of a canal.

Also one big benefit of doing it now is that in between jobs I can always fall back on my current career of IT.

Mark.

[Hazel W]

get good medical insurance !!!

good luck with it tho ...from all of us

H+H

[kath2407]

Oh sh1t, the hard hat try dives at the MNDA fundraising day have a lot to answer for don't they!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, good luck Mark!

K XX

[PW1664]

If your heart is saying do it...DO IT.

The biggest regret would be getting to your mid 40's/50's saying I wish I had...

If things don't work out you can always go back to IT, or whatever takes your fancy...

Best of luck... follow your dream.

[Woz]

Don't do it. You just end up as an underwater labourer working in zero viz. Mate of mine did it in Nottingham and got sick of doing fingertip searches of canal bottoms in zero viz looking for guns/knives/body parts.

[wilbo]

Originally Posted by Bantam

Except I now wear glasses. Rules me out for being a navy diver as the career office said I needed 20-20 vision.

might be a little late for the Navy - but have you not considered a laser treatment. I used to wear glasses about 6 years ago - had the op - still have 20-20.. It was a little late for me too - as I wanted to be a fireman..

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Woz

Mate of mine did it in Nottingham and got sick of doing fingertip searches of canal bottoms in zero viz looking for guns/knives/body parts.

Sounds like all the Dover dives I have done.

Mark if you want to do it, then go and do it. Good Luck

[Bantam]

Originally Posted by Woz

Don't do it. You just end up as an underwater labourer working in zero viz. Mate of mine did it in Nottingham and got sick of doing fingertip searches of canal bottoms in zero viz looking for guns/knives/body parts.

That's Nottingham for you - most dangerous part of the UK

Looking forward I'm thinking much more further afield, but you have to do the shitty jobs before you get the good ones. The shitty jobs help build your reputation.

Thanks everyone for your support. It's definitely going to happen now. I have quite a few loose ends to tie up but I think it's the beginning of a long road

Working in IT, in my appraisals I've never been able to fill in the 'where do you see yourself in 5 years time' box because I never had any ambition.

Now I have a raftfull of ideas

[tom]

Good luck with it mate. Even if it turns out to be shit, at least you'll have had a go at it! Better than spending your life wondering what if.

[milldog]

Originally Posted by tom

Good luck with it mate. Even if it turns out to be shit, at least you'll have had a go at it! Better than spending your life wondering what if.

what he said there are to many wanabes out there

good luck