Commercial Scuba Dive Training is generally a pre requisite of all the higher levels and so in most circumstances must be completed to work as a commercial diver.
For example to become a certified ADAS SSBA to 30 M (ADAS part two) diver you must hold your ADAS Occupational Scuba to 30m (ADAS part one) certification.
Professional Scuba training can, in some circumstances be all the training you need. Some industries require divers to only be trained in Scuba as this is all that is required within the scope of work.
Professional Scuba training can, in some circumstances be all thIndividuals this applies to is Aquarium and Zoo divers as well as a lot of scientific divers. In a way if your job requires commercial dive training, yet is not dive focused it is potentially possible that this may be all the training you need.
To confirm that this is true for yourself you should talk to us, or another internationally accepted training organisation as well as your employers to ensure that you only need your Commercial Scuba ticket.
Professional Scuba Training should not be confused for Recreational scuba training which is a pre-requisite for most Scuba certifications. No recreational ticket is accepted by the International Marine Contractors Assosciation (IMCA).
At CDA we offer both Occupation Scuba to 30 m and restricted occupational Scuba to 30 m courses. These courses are must do for those who are looking at the next level of diving or who only need a scuba qualification
Before you can complete commercial Scuba training with almost any training organisation you must first hold your recreational diver certificate. This can be any well known certifaction including Padi, SSI and Naui
Commercial Air Dive Training or Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus (SSBA) is the most in demand diving qualification you can hold. Air diving certifications allow you to work in most construction activities onshore and offshore (depending on the level of air diving certificate you hold).
For nearly all those wanting to become a commercial diver, it is mandatory to hold an air diving certificate as these allow you to work with various tools and depths potentially up to 50 metres.
The usage of Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus underwater significantly increases a divers ability to operate under real working situations. An air diving is also recognised intnerationally as capable of using equipment such as welding, cutting, pneumatic and hydraulic tools up to the depth of there qualification
Within the ADAS certification framework there are two levels of Air Diver.
The First:
SSBA to 30 M (ADAS Part Two) introduces the commercial diver in the usage of SSBA as the basis for underwater construction activities, this course would be done by all divers wanting to work in construction on shore. how ever it is limited in that it can only be used up to 30 M and is not accepted at all offshore.
The Second:
SSBA to 50 M (ADAS Part Three) is the next progressive step of the air diving certification and allows the diver to work offshore, from a wetbell, and use and operate a decompression chamber.
For most Commercial Divers an ADAS Air certification is the training to strive for, the only question is where should i do the training? What certification should i get? and what level of air diving do i train too?
“The Commercial Dive Academy is one of only two ADAS & IMCA approved schools to offer Commercial Dive training to offshore air divers. The other is Sub Sea based in New Zealand.”etraining to offshore air divers. The other is Sub Sea based in New Zealand.”
Commercial divers work in a huge range of industries, with one thing in common the core work is performed below the surface of the water or sub-sea.
In the industry there are three main types of divers:
The type of diver you want to be, can and almost certainly will affect the pathway to becoming a commercial diver.
That said there are five key steps that you need to know to become commercially certified. This article will extensively cover how you can go from zero to hero and become a commercial diver.
Step One: Know what type of diver that you want to be.
perhaps you want to work on a fish farm, maybe you want to be an underwater welder, or maybe you want to want to work in salvage. The path way for each type of diver can be different, and so it is important to know what your long term goals are.
Step Two: know what level of training your desired field requires
An Aquarium diver has vastly different training requirements and in field skills needed to perform there job than an offshore welder or saturation diver.
Step Three: Choose the Certification that is needed where you want to work
There are a lot of diving certifications out there, ADAS, INPP, ADCI, IMCA, DCBD, HSE and more. However they are not all equal, some certificates are not internationally recognised and are only eligible in there local region, others are recognised in most countries in the world, make sure you choose a certificate that will allow you to work where you want, and where you may want to go in the future.
Step Four: Choose the course that meets your training needs
The reality is, there are a lot of Commercial Diving courses out there, We will cover the courses you can do, to perfectly meet your training needs. Be it Scuba, SSBA or beyond.
Step Five: Meet the pre-requisites of the course.
Each course around the world will have different pre – requisites to engage in there training. you must know what these are and accomplish them before starting your course.
Step Six: Have fun doing it.
At the end of the day, we all become Commercial Divers because it is an industry that pays exceptionally well. We might as well remember to enjoy the ocean and its many jobs whilst doing it.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
Scientific research
Aquarium diving
onshore inspection
Offshore operations
construction diving
Air liftingpection
Deepwater installation
Deepwater inspection
Oilwell inspection
Once you have worked out your diving goal and decided on the lifestyle and career you are after, the pathway to becoming certified as a commercial diver becomes much easier. This is because, each diving career has different minimum requirements that must be met in order to be eligible to work.
Around the world most Commercial Diving training facilities will focus on at least one of two different types of Diving. The third level (Closed Bell) is only offered at this time by two diving academies in the world. The Commercial Dive Academy in Tasmania and The National Institute of Professional Diving in France. These schools are the only facilities in there respective hemispheres to offer saturation training.
Each level of diving has there own unique properties and skill sets, generally each level requires completion of the prior level below it, and can have different levels of training within themselves. these three dive styles are:
“The Commercial Dive Academy is one of only two schools in the world to offer Closed Bell diver training and is the only offshore training facility in the southern hemisphere with saturation diving capabilities “
Commercial Scuba Dive Training is generally a pre requisite of all the higher levels and so in most circumstances must be completed to work as a commercial diver.
For example to become a certified ADAS SSBA to 30 M (ADAS part two) diver you must hold your ADAS Occupational Scuba to 30m (ADAS part one) certification.
Professional Scuba training can, in some circumstances be all the training you need. Some industries require divers to only be trained in Scuba as this is all that is required within the scope of work.
Professional Scuba training can, in some circumstances be all thIndividuals this applies to is Aquarium and Zoo divers as well as a lot of scientific divers. In a way if your job requires commercial dive training, yet is not dive focused it is potentially possible that this may be all the training you need.
To confirm that this is true for yourself you should talk to us, or another internationally accepted training organisation as well as your employers to ensure that you only need your Commercial Scuba ticket.
Professional Scuba Training should not be confused for Recreational scuba training which is a pre-requisite for most Scuba certifications. No recreational ticket is accepted by the International Marine Contractors Assosciation (IMCA).
Ok Great. You now know what level of dive training you want to receive, but what do you need to accomplish before training can begin? to the right are the most common pre-requisites that commercial Dive certifications require you to have attained before joining there course.
Please note, you must be at least 18 years of age to be eligible for most Commercial Dive courses including ADAS.
A RECREATIONAL DIVE CERTIFICATE
for ADAS and IMCA courses you will need to demonstrate that you have reasonable diving abilities before the course, this will mean you need to hold a recreational diver certificate and around 10 logged dives at a minimum.
A DIVE MEDICAL
this medical declares that you are fit to dive. different certifications require a different medical. For ADAS the Medical you need is AS/NZ 2299.1
FIRST AID AND 02 DELIVERY TRAINING
You must hold a first aid and advanced resuscitation certificate to attend most commercial dive courses
REASONABLE SWIMMING ABILITY
Knowing that you are looking at an industry that is based on working in the water, it is expected you have the ability to swim. For ADAS you need to demonstrate you can swim 200 Metres un assisted and tread water for 10 minutes. Other certifications may have different requirements.
Learn about the many commercial Dive Academy Courses on offer here.
Learn about the Commercial Dive Academy and our vision here.
Commercial Air Dive Training or Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus (SSBA) is the most in demand diving qualification you can hold. Air diving certifications allow you to work in most construction activities onshore and offshore (depending on the level of air diving certificate you hold).
For nearly all those wanting to become a commercial diver, it is mandatory to hold an air diving certificate as these allow you to work with various tools and depths potentially up to 50 metres.
The usage of Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus underwater significantly increases a divers ability to operate under real working situations. An air diving is also recognised intnerationally as capable of using equipment such as welding, cutting, pneumatic and hydraulic tools up to the depth of there qualification
Within the ADAS certification framework there are two levels of Air Diver.
The First:
SSBA to 30 M (ADAS Part Two) introduces the commercial diver in the usage of SSBA as the basis for underwater construction activities, this course would be done by all divers wanting to work in construction on shore. how ever it is limited in that it can only be used up to 30 M and is not accepted at all offshore.
The Second:
SSBA to 50 M (ADAS Part Three) is the next progressive step of the air diving certification and allows the diver to work offshore, from a wetbell, and use and operate a decompression chamber.
For most Commercial Divers an ADAS Air certification is the training to strive for, the only question is where should i do the training? What certification should i get? and what level of air diving do i train too?
“The Commercial Dive Academy is one of only two ADAS & IMCA approved schools to offer Commercial Dive training to offshore air divers. The other is Sub Sea based in New Zealand.”etraining to offshore air divers. The other is Sub Sea based in New Zealand.”
I finished the ADAS part three course about two months ago and it was honestly the best thing I could’ve done. I am on the big bucks and living an awesome life now and owe a lot to CDA. By big bucks, I mean the first day after the course ended. I was working and earning $800 a day. I have no contacts in the industry and here I am, making more in two days than I would In a week.
Before the course, I was already a diesel mechanic, driving cranes for many years. I was on an ok hourly wage and kept asking myself why take the risk of doing a three month course, when I might not even get a good job, or heck, any job. What if I have to go back to being a mechanic and just wasted three months of my life. I almost enrolled a year or so ago, but just couldn’t pull the trigger. And being a commercial diver stayed a pipedream.
The reason I did the course, was the team in the office, talked to me for an hour about diving and how they will help find me a job. He told me that every single person able to work in Australia who trained with them last year found employment, not only did they find employment , but they found jobs working where they wanted, if they wanted to work on a fish farm, boom on a fish farm, if they wanted a job in construction work, boom civil was where they found a job. I thought this seemed to good to be true, but hey life is short. So I said screw it, lets do the course. I booked on the first course of the year, part one, two and three, nervous but excited at the same time.
On my last week of ADAS part three, I still hadn’t found a job. The others on part three had, the few guys who left on part two, yes they were on less than the other guys on part three would be, but they all had jobs. And I hadn’t, this was literally my fear, wasting three months to do a course, and not having a job. I had no prospects, no one I called was looking for divers. I was damn nervous and spoke with the owner, tutors and office team.
The next day, I had an email. I was offered a job earning $800 a day working onshore in Melbourne. I couldn’t stop smiling. I am not kidding, one phone call from CDA, and I went from $33 an hour to $800 a day. One phone call and a three month course doubled what I could earn before.
I can not stress this enough, CDA is awesome. They will find you a job. They will work with you and teach you to a higher standard than any other school in Australia. They use all offshore equipment. There is no one else you should do your course with and no reason not to do part three. I am just a guy who went from a good wage, to making the big bucks.
Thanks you to everyone in the CDA team, you are all awesome.
MELBOURNE BASED DIVER
Scientific research
Aquarium diving
onshore inspection
Offshore operations
construction diving
Air liftingpection
Deepwater installation
Deepwater inspection
Oilwell inspection
Once you have worked out your diving goal and decided on the lifestyle and career you are after, the pathway to becoming certified as a commercial diver becomes much easier. This is because, each diving career has different minimum requirements that must be met in order to be eligible to work.
Around the world most Commercial Diving training facilities will focus on at least one of two different types of Diving. The third level (Closed Bell) is only offered at this time by two diving academies in the world. The Commercial Dive Academy in Tasmania and The National Institute of Professional Diving in France. These schools are the only facilities in there respective hemispheres to offer saturation training.
Each level of diving has there own unique properties and skill sets, generally each level requires completion of the prior level below it, and can have different levels of training within themselves. these three dive styles are:
“The Commercial Dive Academy is one of only two schools in the world to offer Closed Bell diver training and is the only offshore training facility in the southern hemisphere with saturation diving capabilities “
Commercial Air Dive Training or Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus (SSBA) is the most in demand diving qualification you can hold. Air diving certifications allow you to work in most construction activities onshore and offshore (depending on the level of air diving certificate you hold).
For nearly all those wanting to become a commercial diver, it is mandatory to hold an air diving certificate as these allow you to work with various tools and depths potentially up to 50 metres.
The usage of Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus underwater significantly increases a divers ability to operate under real working situations. An air diving is also recognised intnerationally as capable of using equipment such as welding, cutting, pneumatic and hydraulic tools up to the depth of there qualification
Within the ADAS certification framework there are two levels of Air Diver.
The First:
SSBA to 30 M (ADAS Part Two) introduces the commercial diver in the usage of SSBA as the basis for underwater construction activities, this course would be done by all divers wanting to work in construction on shore. how ever it is limited in that it can only be used up to 30 M and is not accepted at all offshore.
The Second:
SSBA to 50 M (ADAS Part Three) is the next progressive step of the air diving certification and allows the diver to work offshore, from a wetbell, and use and operate a decompression chamber.
For most Commercial Divers an ADAS Air certification is the training to strive for, the only question is where should i do the training? What certification should i get? and what level of air diving do i train too?
“The Commercial Dive Academy is one of only two ADAS & IMCA approved schools to offer Commercial Dive training to offshore air divers. The other is Sub Sea based in New Zealand.”etraining to offshore air divers. The other is Sub Sea based in New Zealand.”
Commercial Scuba Dive Training is generally a pre requisite of all the higher levels and so in most circumstances must be completed to work as a commercial diver.
For example to become a certified ADAS SSBA to 30 M (ADAS part two) diver you must hold your ADAS Occupational Scuba to 30m (ADAS part one) certification.
Professional Scuba training can, in some circumstances be all the training you need. Some industries require divers to only be trained in Scuba as this is all that is required within the scope of work.
Professional Scuba training can, in some circumstances be all thIndividuals this applies to is Aquarium and Zoo divers as well as a lot of scientific divers. In a way if your job requires commercial dive training, yet is not dive focused it is potentially possible that this may be all the training you need.
To confirm that this is true for yourself you should talk to us, or another internationally accepted training organisation as well as your employers to ensure that you only need your Commercial Scuba ticket.
Professional Scuba Training should not be confused for Recreational scuba training which is a pre-requisite for most Scuba certifications. No recreational ticket is accepted by the International Marine Contractors Assosciation (IMCA).
Once you have worked out your diving goal and decided on the lifestyle and career you are after, the pathway to becoming certified as a commercial diver becomes much easier. This is because, each diving career has different minimum requirements that must be met in order to be eligible to work.
Around the world most Commercial Diving training facilities will focus on at least one of two different types of Diving. The third level (Closed Bell) is only offered at this time by two diving academies in the world. The Commercial Dive Academy in Tasmania and The National Institute of Professional Diving in France. These schools are the only facilities in there respective hemispheres to offer saturation training.
Each level of diving has there own unique properties and skill sets, generally each level requires completion of the prior level below it, and can have different levels of training within themselves. these three dive styles are:
“The Commercial Dive Academy is one of only two schools in the world to offer Closed Bell diver training and is the only offshore training facility in the southern hemisphere with saturation diving capabilities “
The type of diver you want to be, can and almost certainly
will affect the pathway to becoming a commercial diver.
That said there are five key steps that you need to know to
become commercially certified. This article will extensively
cover how you can go from zero to hero and become a
commercial diver.
Commercial divers work in a huge range of industries, with one
thing in common the core work is performed below the surface
of the water or sub-sea.
In the industry there are three main types of divers:
Scuba Divers(SCUBA).
Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus Divers (SSBA).
Closed Bell Divers (saturation.)
Ok Great. You now know what level of dive training you want to receive, but what do you need to accomplish before
training can begin? to the right are the most common pre-requisites that commercial Dive
certifications require you to have attained before joining there course.
Please note, you must be at least 18 years of age to be eligible for most Commercial Dive courses including ADAS.
for ADAS and IMCA courses you will need to
demonstrate that you have reasonable
diving abilities before the course,
this will mean you need to hold a
recreational diver certificate and around 1
0 logged dives at a minimum.
This medical declares that you are fit to dive.
different certifications require a different medical.
For ADAS the Medical you need is AS/NZ 2299.1
You must hold a first aid and advanced
resuscitation certificate to attend most
commercial dive courses
Knowing that you are looking at an industry that is based on working in the water, it is expected you have the ability to swim. For ADAS you need to demonstrate you can swim 200 Metres un assisted and tread water for 10 minutes. Other certifications may have different requirements.is AS/NZ 2299.1
Commercial divers work in a huge range of industries, with one thing in common the core work is performed below the surface of the water or sub-sea.
In the industry there are three main types of divers:
The type of diver you want to be can, and almost certainly will, affect the pathway to becoming a commercial diver.
That said, there are five key steps that you need to know to become commercially certified. This article will extensively cover how you can go from zero to hero and become a commercial diver.
Step One: Know what type of diver that you want to be
Perhaps you want to work on a fish farm, maybe you want to be an underwater welder, or maybe you want to want to work in salvage. The path way for each type of diver can be different, and so it is important to know what your long term goals are.
Step Two: Know what level of training your desired field requires
An aquarium diver has vastly different training requirements and in field skills needed to perform there job than an offshore welder or saturation diver.
Step Three: Choose the certification that is needed where you want to work
There are a lot of diving certifications out there: ADAS, INPP, ADCI, IMCA, DCBD, HSE and more. However they are not all equal, some certificates are not internationally recognised and are only eligible in theirlocal region, others are recognised in most countries in the world. Make sure you choose a certificate that will allow you to work where you want, and where you may want to go in the future.
Step Four: Choose the course that meets your training needs
The reality is, there are a lot of Commercial Diving courses out there, We will cover the courses you can do, to perfectly meet your training needs. Be it Scuba, SSBA or beyond.
Step Five: Meet the pre-requisites of the course
Each course around the world will have different pre-requisites to engage in there training. You must know what these are and accomplish them before starting your course.
The CDA, ADAS and IMCA prerequisites for any of our courses are found here
Step Six: Have fun doing it
At the end of the day, we all become Commercial Divers because it is an industry that pays exceptionally well. We might as well remember to enjoy the ocean and its many jobs whilst doing it.
Learn about the many commercial Dive Academy Courses on offer here.
Learn about the Commercial Dive Academy and our vision here.
Before you make the plunge and commit to becoming a commercial diver. you need to reflect on yourself and the career you would like to have. This will help you understand what type of diver you want to be, or in other words, what is it that diving will help you achieve. Do you want to work offshore? Live underwater in saturation? Work on oil rigs? Or be a scientific researcher?
Each type of diver has different training and certification needs, for example:
A scientific researcher, is likely a scientist first and a diver second, as such he likely does not need to consider wet-bell training.
To the right, are five different common diving careers. Later, we will discuss the certifications each diver will need to hold at a minimum and what we at CDA recommend.
SCIENTIFIC DIVER
A scientific diver is a diver whose main focus is likely research. These divers are usually scientists first and divers second, who use diving as a means to complete their field work.
AQUACULTURE DIVER
An aquaculture diver is a diver who supports the production of farmed marine species such as Salmon, or Tuna. An aquaculture diver is usually responsible for ensuring the integrity of the nets and well-being of the aquatic organisms.
ONSHORE CONSTRUCTION DIVER
An onshore construction diver is a diver who works inland up to maximum depths of around 50 meters. These divers do a huge range of tasks and can have diverse work portfolios. The usual work load includes any work that involves construction activities. Think: Assembly, demolishing, installation, clean, repair, photograph, maintain or salvage.
OFFSHORE DIVER
An offshore diver is a trained commercial diver who usually works in support of the exploration and production sector of the Oil and Gas industry. These divers are employed to undertake construction, inspection and maintenance tasks on offshore vessels, such as oil rigs and sub-sea pipelines.
DEEP OCEAN DIVING
A deep ocean diver is a diver who works underwater at depths beyond the usual certification depth, for an ADAS diver this would be a diver who works beyond 50 metres, This diving requires special equipment and normally requires training and usage of a closed bell or saturation system.
Scientific research
Aquarium diving
Onshore inspection
Offshore operations
Construction diving
Air lifting
Deepwater installation
Deepwater inspection
Oilwell inspection
Once you have worked out your diving goal and decided on the lifestyle and career you are after, the pathway to becoming certified as a commercial diver becomes much easier. This is because, each diving career has different minimum requirements that must be met in order to be eligible to work.
Around the world most Commercial Diving training facilities will focus on at least one of two different types of diving. The third level (Closed Bell) is only offered at this time by two diving academies in the world. The Commercial Dive Academy in Tasmania and The National Institute of Professional Diving in France. These schools are the only facilities in there respective hemispheres to offer saturation training.
Each level of diving has there own unique properties and skill sets, generally each level requires completion of the prior level below it, and can have different levels of training within themselves. these three dive styles are:
“The Commercial Dive Academy is one of only two schools in the world to offer Closed Bell diver training and is the only offshore training facility in the southern hemisphere with saturation diving capabilities “
Commercial Scuba Dive Training is generally a pre-requisite of all the higher levels and so in most circumstances must be completed to work as a commercial diver.
For example, to become a certified ADAS SSBA to 30m (ADAS Part Two) diver you must hold your ADAS Occupational Scuba to 30m (ADAS Part One) certification.
Professional Scuba training can, in some circumstances, be all the training you need. Some industries require divers to only be trained in Scuba as this is all that is required within the scope of work. This applies to Aquarium and Zoo divers as well as a lot of scientific divers. In a way, if your job requires commercial dive training yet is not dive focused, it is potentially possible that this may be all the training you need.
To confirm that this is true for yourself you should talk to us, or another internationally accepted training organisation, as well as your employers to ensure that you only need your Commercial Scuba ticket.
Professional Scuba Training should not be confused for Recreational Scuba training which is a pre-requisite for most Scuba certifications. No recreational ticket is accepted by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA).
At CDA we offer both Occupation Scuba to 30m and restricted occupational Scuba to 30m courses. These courses are must do for those who are looking at the next level of diving or who only need a scuba qualification
Before you can complete commercial Scuba training with almost any training organisation you must first hold your recreational diver certificate. This can be any well known certifaction including Padi, SSI and Naui
Commercial Air Dive Training or Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus (SSBA) is the most in demand diving qualification you can hold. Air diving certifications allow you to work in most construction activities onshore and offshore (depending on the level of air diving certificate you hold).
For nearly all those wanting to become a commercial diver, it is mandatory to hold an air diving certificate as these allow you to work with various tools and depths potentially up to 50 metres.
The usage of Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus underwater significantly increases a divers ability to operate under real working situations. An air diving is also recognised intnerationally as capable of using equipment such as welding, cutting, pneumatic and hydraulic tools up to the depth of there qualification
Within the ADAS certification framework there are two levels of Air Diver.
The First:
SSBA to 30 M (ADAS Part Two) introduces the commercial diver in the usage of SSBA as the basis for underwater construction activities, this course would be done by all divers wanting to work in construction on shore. how ever it is limited in that it can only be used up to 30 M and is not accepted at all offshore.
The Second:
SSBA to 50 M (ADAS Part Three) is the next progressive step of the air diving certification and allows the diver to work offshore, from a wetbell, and use and operate a decompression chamber.
For most Commercial Divers an ADAS Air certification is the training to strive for, the only question is where should i do the training? What certification should i get? and what level of air diving do i train too?
“The Commercial Dive Academy is one of only two ADAS & IMCA approved schools to offer Commercial Dive training to offshore air divers. The other is Sub Sea based in New Zealand.”etraining to offshore air divers. The other is Sub Sea based in New Zealand.”
There are alot of possible dive certifications you can choose between, some are recongised only in specific countries, and some, such as ADAS or HSE are recognised internationally.
The most important part of choosing your certification is to choose an internationally recognised, IMCA approved certification.
Click here for information on ADAS
Click here for information on IMCA
There will be more information on certifications as this page is updated in the future.
Ok Great. You now know what level of dive training you want to receive, but what do you need to accomplish before training can begin? to the right are the most common pre-requisites that commercial Dive certifications require you to have attained before joining there course.
Please note, you must be at least 18 years of age to be eligible for most Commercial Dive courses including ADAS.
A RECREATIONAL DIVE CERTIFICATE
for ADAS and IMCA courses you will need to demonstrate that you have reasonable diving abilities before the course, this will mean you need to hold a recreational diver certificate and around 10 logged dives at a minimum.
A DIVE MEDICAL
this medical declares that you are fit to dive. different certifications require a different medical. For ADAS the Medical you need is AS/NZ 2299.1
FIRST AID AND 02 DELIVERY TRAINING
You must hold a first aid and advanced resuscitation certificate to attend most commercial dive courses
REASONABLE SWIMMING ABILITY
Knowing that you are looking at an industry that is based on working in the water, it is expected you have the ability to swim. For ADAS you need to demonstrate you can swim 200 Metres un assisted and tread water for 10 minutes. Other certifications may have different requirements.
I finished the ADAS part three course about two months ago and it was honestly the best thing I could’ve done. I am on the big bucks and living an awesome life now and owe a lot to CDA. By big bucks, I mean the first day after the course ended. I was working and earning $800 a day. I have no contacts in the industry and here I am, making more in two days than I would In a week.
Before the course, I was already a diesel mechanic, driving cranes for many years. I was on an ok hourly wage and kept asking myself why take the risk of doing a three month course, when I might not even get a good job, or heck, any job. What if I have to go back to being a mechanic and just wasted three months of my life. I almost enrolled a year or so ago, but just couldn’t pull the trigger. And being a commercial diver stayed a pipedream.
The reason I did the course, was the team in the office, talked to me for an hour about diving and how they will help find me a job. He told me that every single person able to work in Australia who trained with them last year found employment, not only did they find employment , but they found jobs working where they wanted, if they wanted to work on a fish farm, boom on a fish farm, if they wanted a job in construction work, boom civil was where they found a job. I thought this seemed to good to be true, but hey life is short. So I said screw it, lets do the course. I booked on the first course of the year, part one, two and three, nervous but excited at the same time.
On my last week of ADAS part three, I still hadn’t found a job. The others on part three had, the few guys who left on part two, yes they were on less than the other guys on part three would be, but they all had jobs. And I hadn’t, this was literally my fear, wasting three months to do a course, and not having a job. I had no prospects, no one I called was looking for divers. I was damn nervous and spoke with the owner, tutors and office team.
The next day, I had an email. I was offered a job earning $800 a day working onshore in Melbourne. I couldn’t stop smiling. I am not kidding, one phone call from CDA, and I went from $33 an hour to $800 a day. One phone call and a three month course doubled what I could earn before.
I can not stress this enough, CDA is awesome. They will find you a job. They will work with you and teach you to a higher standard than any other school in Australia. They use all offshore equipment. There is no one else you should do your course with and no reason not to do part three. I am just a guy who went from a good wage, to making the big bucks.
Thanks you to everyone in the CDA team, you are all awesome.
MELBOURNE BASED DIVER
The salaries of commercial divers vary a lot depending on the choice of specific occupation and whether they are onshore or offshore.
Onshore divers work in a wide variety of tasks, resulting in different pros and cons in regards to remuneration and benefits.
The most common occupations onshore in Australia are Aquaculture, Civil and Construction as well as the various sciences. Some of these divers work as contractors and others divers work as employees. The benefits of both options as well as the common entry salaries for each will be discussed below.
Offshore Divers in Australia make a killing. Maybe that seems like a dramatic usage of words, yet it is true, the union rate for offshore divers is staggering and it pays dividends to work towards getting offshore for at least one dive stint.
Saturation (ADAS Part Four Divers, Closed Bell) divers are even higher again, to a sat diver, perhaps offshore air divers, are not paid too much. Sat divers are away laughing all the way to the bank.
There is a lot of money to be made diving. Which is great, for most, you are out doing something you love and you are getting paid for it.
Take the most expensive dive trip that you have paid to enjoy, now imagine the smile you would have if you didn’t pay to play, but got paid to play. That is commercial diving.
The Commercial Dive Academy we have contacts through out all of the potential dive industries, and will help you find work that suits the lifestyle you would like to live.
No matter where you want to work, we will aid you in finding the best possible job to meet your needs.
Below is a brief outline on specific starting salaries for different industries.
$80,000 per year
An Aquaculture diver is a diver who supports the production of farmed marine species such as Salmon, or Tuna. An Aquaculture diver usually has the benefit of being a salaried employee – think holiday pay, superannuation etc.
First year Aquaculture divers in Tasmania often receive a base pay (salary) and then performance based compensation (payment per dive). Typically, the base pay can range within $50-60k a year and then is supplemented by per dive completed plus over time.
It is expected that most first year divers, should make about $80,000 a year working at either Tassal or Petuna, depending on the amount of diving and overtime worked.
$400+ Daily
An onshore construction diver is a diver who works inland up to maximum depths of around 50 meters. For a first year diver you will usually be a contract worker, though salaried is not uncommon either.
Wages are often paid by a day rate or hourly depending on the company and contract. A common hourly rate for a fresh diver is $40 an hour with a lot of our graduates starting with these roles. The larger contractors typically pay between $400 and $500 a day, with top up for night shift and over time.
On night shift, it is not uncommon for these contractors to pay around $800 a day. As a fresh diver, it is unheard of to get a job with these large contractors straight out of school with a Part Two certificate. You will need Part Three to have a shot at the higher paying roles.
Varied
A Scientific Diver’s job is to conduct research. Compensation is often not linked to their diving ability but to their specific researchers role. As such, qualifying to become a scientific diver by completing the ADAS Part 1R course may not generate a great salary boost, but instead is a requirement of the job to ensure the researcher’s hold basic diving capabilities.
$1500+ Daily
The offshore divers have a very strong union that have dramatically increased expected earnings. A first time offshore diver in Australia should earn more than $1,500 a day.
$3000+ Daily
A Closed Bell diver is the peak of diving. Whilst you are not new to the industry as you have been a Part Three diver for at least one year to do the course, you will still have your first sat job. You should earn in Australia no less, and potentially much more, than $3,000 a day. Saturation diving requires a high level of skill and certification and therefore divers are well compensated. Completing CDA’s Part 4 (Closed Bell Diver) and having this internationally recognised qualification under your belt should be some what of an end goal for aspiring commercial diver.
Commercial divers work in a huge range of industries, with one thing in common the core work is performed below the surface of the water or sub-sea. In the industry there are three main types of divers. Those that work with Scuba (SCUBA), those that work with surface supplied breathing apparatus (SSBA) and those that work in or from a closed bell (saturation.)
Depending on the job, the company, the location and the skills of the diver, the style of diving can vary wildly between these three forms. One thing is for certain though, no two divers are likely to have a similar career.
The roles a commercial diver may perform in his career can include, inspection, installation, cutting, salvage, scientific research, underwater welding and in rare aquaculture instances shark wrestling.
The reality is, a commercial diver has a huge range of opportunities and the potential to earn great money and at the end of the day a commercial diver is just a guy who found a way to make a living (earn a wage) by undertaking underwater work for a profit.two, to ADAS part three.
This post summaries the core roles, of a commercial diver, to help give you an idea of what an occupational diver is. for more detail on any type of diving, click on the links to learn a lot more.
Learn about the many commercial Dive Academy Courses on offer here.
Learn about the Commercial Dive Academy and our vision here.
There are a number of different types of Commercial divers who all get to enjoy the day to day grind of underwater labor.
Despite the similarities that come with working underwater, the tools and methods they employ can be wildly different.
The most common occupations for CDA graduates are, Aquaculture, Onshore Construction, Offshore Diving and Deep Ocean Diving.
Please note, only oIf you dream of being underwater welding on a sunken once you have the ADAS Part One (Scuba to 30 M) ticket you will need to maintain all of these certifications for any higher course you enrol in.
ADAS also require you to maintain these pre-requisites to act as a diver, no matter the level, so keep an eye on the expiry dates and renew them often.
Some certifications, such as the 02 provider cert, need renewing ever year, others such as the first aid only require an update every three years. Others still, such as your recreational ticket, last a life time.
Forunatley unless you are Keanu Reeves, once you are over 18, you don’t need to worry about this one ever again. If someone reading this, knows the secret to Keanu’s vampire heart, please comment the secret below.
AQUACULTURE DIVER
An Aquaculture diver is a diver who supports the production of farmed marine species such as Salmon, or Tuna. An Aquaculture diver is usually responsible for ensuring the integrity of the nets and well being of the aquatic organisms.
ONSHORE CONSTRUCTION DIVER
An onshore construction diver is a diver who works inland up to maximum depths of around 50 meters. These divers do a huge range of tasks and can have diverse work portfolios. The usual work load includes any work that involves construction activities. Think: Assembly, demolishing, installation, clean, repair, photograph, maintain or salvage.
10 RECREATIONAL DIVE LOGS
not only do you need to have a ticket, you need to love diving. Because of this we require you to have 10 logged recreational dives in the last six months leading up to this course. These can be anything, from admiring the beauty of the ocean at the Poor Knights island in NZ, to plundering the ocean for a nice Cray Fish dinner or just a leisurely half hour dip to get 10 dive logs for this course.
OVERSHORE DIVER
An offshore diver is a trained commercial diver who usually works in support of the exploration and production sector of the Oil and Gas industry. These divers are employed to undertake construction, inspection and maintenance tasks on offshore vessels, such as oil rigs and sub-sea pipelines.
DEEP OCEAN DIVER
A deep ocean diver is a diver who works underwater at depths beyond the usual certification depth, for an ADAS diver this would be a diver who works beyond 50 Metres, This diving requires special equipment and normally requires training and usage of a closed bell or saturation system
SCIENTIFIC DIVER
A scientific diver is a diver whose main focus is likely research. these divers are usually scientists first and divers second, who use diving as a means to complete there field work. ensuring the integrity of the nets and well being of the aquatic organisms.
POLICE DIVER
A police diver, is usually a police officer first and a diver second. As such they have the typical respnosibilities of a police officer as well as those added by
MILITARY DIVER
Military divers are most often Naval diver, who conduct Military operations underwater. however the army also has work divers who carry out diving using surface supplied breathing apparatus and use hand, pneumatic, hydraulic and explosive tools.
MEDIA DIVER
Media diving is a term that covers underwater photography and underwater filming. Medica divers are trained camera operators who cover projects meant for either T.V or Film
Because Commercial Diving is effectively any work conducted underwater, the true scope is unfathomable.
often, diving is a secondary responsibility for a specific job. These jobs that have diving as a secondary role include:
The most common occupations for CDA graduates are, Aquaculture, Onshore Construction, Offshore Diving and Deep Ocean Diving.
Scientific diving, Police diving, Millitary diving and media diving
in summary an occupational diver, is someone who found a way to make a living doing what they love underwater.
because big money is often involved, occupational diving is subject to all the health and safety regulations of a typical work site.
it is important to note, that an occupational diver is not hired to dive, but instead to peform a specific task underwater. As we have discussed, these tasks can vary from underwater welding, moving and maintaing moorings, maintaining oil and gas platforms, tending to tuna or underwater photography.
At the end of the day there are many different careers that one can have as a commercial diver, but the most important thing, is that you find a job doing what you love.
Before you make the plunge and join one of our many Commercial Dive Courses you will need to have met our seven ADAS and IMCA prerequisites.
These seven pre-requisites or entry requirements are the same no matter what your end goal is.
Please note, only if you dream of being underwater welding on a sunken ship, running a scientific investigation on the coral reefs, working as a surface supply diver on an oil rig, or have the long term lofty ambition of becoming a saturation diver. These prerequisites are your first step in getting enrolled into the ADAS Part one course.
Please note, only oIf you dream of being underwater welding on a sunken once you have the ADAS Part One (Scuba to 30m) ticket you will need to maintain all of these certifications for any higher course you enrol in.
ADAS also require you to maintain these pre-requisites to act as a diver, no matter the level, so keep an eye on the expiry dates and renew them often.
Some certifications, such as the 02 provider cert, need renewing ever year, others such as the first aid only require an update every three years. Others still, such as your recreational ticket, last a life time.
Fortunately, unless you are Keanu Reeves, once you are over 18, you don’t need to worry about this one ever again. If someone reading this, knows the secret to Keanu’s vampire heart, please comment the secret below.
AT LEAST 18
ADAS and IMCA have the same age requirements as a generic pub in Australia does. If you aren’t old enough to legally drink a beer in a licensed premise, you are not old enough to be a commercial diver. “With age comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes the ability to weld underwater” – quote by CDA
A RECREATIONAL DIVE TICKET
On our course, you will be using all sorts of hard tools like chainsaws, welding stinger, broco torches and many other pneumatic and hydraulic tools. Because of this it is a great idea to already hold a recreational dive ticket. This ensures you are already confident in the water. ADAS and CDA accept a large number of tickets including Padi, SSI, Naui and TDI.
10 RECREATIONAL DIVE LOGS
Not only do you need to have a ticket, you need to love diving. Because of this, we require you to have ten logged recreational dives in the last six months leading up to this course. These can be anything, from admiring the beauty of the ocean at the Poor Knights Island in NZ, to plundering the ocean for a nice crayfish dinner, or just a leisurely half hour dip to get ten dive logs for this course.
FIRST AID CERTIFICATE
To meet the AS/NZS 2299.1 and ADAS requirements anyone who joins a course at CDA, or any other ADAS school is required to have a current First Aid certification.
In general, if the card has First Aid on it, and the course was about a day long. it is likely this will be accepted. though if you are not sure if your First Aid ticket is accepted, you can contact us any time to find out.
02 CERTIFCATE
Just like the First Aid requirement, the AS/NZS 2299.1 requires anyone who wants to join our course to hold an oxygen (02) provider and CPR certification. There are a large number of accepted courses, included DAN 02 and St Johns advanced resuscitation.
PHYSICAL FITNESS
Diving is a physical job and as such it is expected that you have a good general fitness level.
During the course we will assess this by making you swim an entire 200 metres and demonstrate your ability to tread water for at least 10 minutes. it is a great idea to go to the pools and swim a few lengths before our course starts to get in that peak diver shape!
A COMMERCIAL DIVE MEDICAL
Before we can allow anyone to dive, they must hold an occupational dive medical. I am sure you have AS/NZS 2299.1 memorised by now, and you guessed right. Your medical needs to be in accordance with this standard.
Because of this, the doctor who assesses you for medical fitness is required to be trained in hyperbaric medicine and certified as an occupational diving doctor. You can find dive doctors using the SPUMS website below
https://www.spums.org.au/