JOB CARD
Diver
As a Diver, you will be involved in underwater inspection, testing, repair, maintenance or search work. You might specialise in particular techniques such as photography or welding. The work can be hard, demanding and sometimes dangerous.
Job Description
What you’ll do
As a Diver, you will carry out underwater inspection, testing, repair, maintenance or search work. This could be in inland waters, such as supporting fish farming, or at sea doing something such as supporting oil and gas industries.
You might specialise in particular techniques, such as underwater photography or welding.
The work can be hard and dangerous at times. The type of diving work is determined by the nature of the task. For example, if you work for the police then you might be carrying out underwater searches for evidence or for missing people.
Divers working for oil or gas companies carry out more practical tasks, such as maintaining structures underwater.
You’ll learn to use a wide range of equipment such as hand tools, hydraulic and pneumatic power tools, and sometimes explosives.
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Also known as
Deep Sea Diver
Salvage Diver
Scuba Diver
Average yearly salary
Starting: €19,000 – €25,000
With experience: €25,000 – €70,000
Senior Divers earn €70,000 – €100,000
How to become
Education, training and qualification
You do not need any formal qualifications to start diver training courses.
Training combines practical work and theory.
HSE approved training centres are found throughout the UK. For a full list, check out the HSE’s website and go to the diving section.
Training courses usually cover air diving, mixed gas/saturation diving and professional scuba diving. They include offshore diving and inshore diving. Courses usually last between about four to thirteen weeks.
It is possible to take specialised courses in diving medicine and non-destructive testing, for example. The police and armed forces also train divers.
To qualify as a professional Diver, you must obtain a training certificate from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Entry requirements vary according to the type of diving work undertaken. You do not need any formal qualifications to start training courses.
Candidates wishing to take Health and Safety Executive (HSE) diving examinations must first pass a Commercial Diving Aptitude test. Among other things, this tests maths and English, manual dexterity and water confidence. You also need to pass an HSE approved diving medical, which is then renewable every year.
Divers working on, for example, engineering or scientific projects may need specialist knowledge.
Experience
Previous experience working in welding or photography would be really useful for this career.
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Hours of work
Working hours for Divers can vary depending on the type of work that they do. For example, Offshore Divers usually work 12-hour shifts.
Personal Qualities and Skills
To become a Diver, you’ll need:
• to be a strong swimmer
• to pay close attention to safety rules
• a high level of fitness
• to be able to stay calm when under pressure
• some scientific and mechanical skills, along with the ability to use a wide range of tools
• to work well in a team
• some skill in photography
• to be able to cope with distressing or dangerous work
Career path and progression
Career pathways: where you could move next.
Padi certification scheme… open water, ….
Why to choose a career in blue economy?
“For an economic region such as the European Union, shipping accounts for 80% of total exports and imports by volume, and some 50% by value.”
Cross-sector mobility
Fisheries, aquaculture and processing
Coastal and maritime tourism
Maritime transport, ports and shipbuilding
Marine extraction of oil, gas and minerals
Offshore wind and ocean energy
Other blue sectors
Where could you work
Employment is mainly in short-contract work with firms of diving contractors.
Divers may also work as sports diving instructors, and with the police or in the armed forces.
Opportunities for divers occur with dive operators in coastal areas throughout the UK, particularly in the North Sea oil and gas industry.
Opportunities for divers also occur in countries overseas, particularly in leisure and sport diving.
Opportunities occur for divers to become self-employed.
Where are vacancies advertised
Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards.
Many divers approach companies directly offering their services.
Further Information
Health and Safety Executive (HSE): www.hse.gov.uk
OPITO: www.opito.com
