Commercial Diving as a Career
Commercial, or Occupational Diving is defined as diving performed in the course of employment, irrespective of whether diving is the principle function of employment or merely an adjunct to it. Occupational diving comprises all diving carried out as part of a business, a service, for research or for profit. Types of occupational diving include commerical construction diving, fish farming, abalone and pearl diving and scientific diving.
Divers are not employed to dive, as such, but to carry out some worktasks underwater. These tasks may range from civil engineering to archaeology. Diving is only the means of getting the worker to and from a worksite and carrying out their tasks.
Potential working divers should ideally already possess the technical skills that are relevant to the job. For example, construction workers may require welding, non-destructive testing or rigging qualifications; while divers involved in an archaeology project may require a degree in archaeology.
You need to have both the diving skills and work skills that employers want - the more skills that you possess - or develop - the more sort after you will be, the better paid you will be and the better work you will be offered.
Career Options
There are different types of working divers, each demanding different skills and competencies. These include:
- Inland/Inshore Diving, for example, in support of civil engineering or marine-related projects and aquaculture, including the Port Lincoln Tuna Farm Industry. For this industry you ideally need to hold an ADAS Part 2 qualification.
- Offshore Diving in support of the offshore oil and gas industries. Usually it is contract based and seasonal. For this, you will need a minimum of an ADAS Part 3 qualifiation.
- Scientific and Archaeological Diving in support of scientific research and education, and archaeological investigation of sites of historical interest. Many positions within this industry just require a ADAS Part 1 qualification.
- Media Diving in support of film or TV productions which require divers to work as stunt performers, journalists, presenters, photographers, camera operators, sound and lighting technicians and unit crews. An ADAS Part 1 qualification is suitable for these positions.
- Police and Armed Forces. These divers are specialists who are generally chosen from personnel already in the service.
