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Too many think they are going to become a diver by going to school only to end up 2 years later still owing big money for schooling and then decide to change jobs???
It's a shame and I hate to see it happen but it does and way too often so I want to (some one needs to) put the word out that diving work is really not steady work and companies run this business not the schools. The reason I am writting this is because new people need to really hear a few of the hard facts of where all of this all goes before they step thru the doors. I really don't like seeing the next generations bcome mislead by sales hype and bling because this is a hard business one has to face up to the facts.. Hard life, separations and weeks at a time offshore strain personal and family relationships compounded with the reality that just one injury could knock a guy out of the field for good and if like most you most likely will still have the training bill to pay for. Today especially in these times it figures out to be big bucks you want to be on solid ground here.
Its been said that we already have enough divers and tenders for the next 60 years. I can't vouch for that personally but I know theres alot more dive diplomas than there are jobs. If your in any way wanting to enter this field you first need to really prepair yourself with a trade and get your hard finances set before hand.
Way too many find find out the real hard way too late and end up dropping out of the field because this is a unsteady and hard business to try and make it in not to mention try and make a steady living in.. Its a known fact that this work is pretty much seasonal at best and it's like farm, fishing, stock market, housing market it all has its hay days and down turns and lean times. Presently its not a prime time. So you need to think it out before you shell out your hard earned cash. Nothing in or around boats,diving and welding comes cheap. Contary to some popular myths there are very few rich divers. Good Luck.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Murphy on
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Hi Ace,
It's funny how my post was 30 minutes after yours, and i'm asking about getting into the industry!.
A couple of questions come up.
You say that the work is not steady, how often is their jobs out there?
Are you talking mainly about offshore, or inshore as well?
You say to be in a trade before entering into the industry, does video production classify as a trade, or are you talking mainly about Construction work?
I understand the GOM seems to be the place to find the most work, but what about the Northwest?
Cheers!
Geoff
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Permalink Reply by James Leach on
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He said...good luck.
notice the period
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Permalink Reply by A.. Parnell on
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Yea Geoff that is funny. Video production sure counts both offshore and onshore even in tourist places. Its construction and repair work think about it that way.
How proficient are you in the video field ? I have to keep this short for now as it is evening and dinner is awaiting. Contact me at tne in box up on the right of the page. Thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Jerry Babin on
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The biggest issue, is these rookies graduating and forgetting that the word Tender comes before Diver on that card. It seems that the more experience and knowledge you have, the less you are wanted. The key reason- if a dive is visably not safe the diver has the right to step back. An in experienced diver (TENDER) is like a puppy waiting on that new toy. THe second the super looks at him, he/she is dressed and 6 inches off the surface. Rookies dont have the experience (or even the patience) to wait and listed ( I experienced this first hand this past year while attending a "DIVE SCHOOL". Hats off for having balls, but F- for patience and or even respect for someone whos been there. I've been a diver since '83, and an Oilfield/Salvage Diver since '89. I had VA benifits unused so I descided to see what was up in these schools.
THe Biggest lie, is that the field is BOOMING, and Divers are few in numbers. Experience is nolonger a factor thanks to BIG BROTHER ( The ADC) They are the (Very Unofficial) Godfathers of the Gulf. Though they have no government backing or title, they control the business for one reason, and one reason alone... Divers will NOT UNITE under one flag and stand against them. Until the Government and the USCG finally puts its foot down and shuts down their monoply of the business (and that is by the way what it is) it will continue. Officially, we dive US NAVY tables, we use US Navy formatted logs, and US Navy approved Chambers. For the record as a vet, I trust the navy more than any civialian setting Standards and CFR's.
Untiil every diver in this business rookie and old salt alkie grow balls and stand up for each other and against "Darth Vader", it will not change...
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Permalink Reply by Matt on
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I do agree with you. Granted im still in school and I'm considered a rookie, but i do understand the fact that no one is gonna graduate from one of these schools and just start diving unless its a dive none ofthe other divers want to make. I cant tell you how many students at the ocean corp have the mentality of " oh im gonna graduate and im gonna start diving, I'm not gonna be a tender, i came to this school so i can be a diver not a tender". I just think in my head that if they do land a job and when they get on that rig with that mentality and the person in charge starts telling a bunch of stuff to do that doesnt involve them diving, then they aren't gonna last that long. Too many of them have the attitude of you cant tell me what to do. Those guys arent gonna last that long offshore and inland. Alot of them look at it in the aspect of " I get to dive in the water" and thats it. They look at it as something that looks fun to do, they arent thinking about he stuff that entails diving. I worked at the port of houston with divers before I started this school and i know damn well it's not all about just getting in the water and having fun. I definitly knew what iwas getting myself into before starting school. If those guys just wanna be able to stay in the water for a long period of time without having to come up for air then they shouldve checked out scuba diving instead.
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Permalink Reply by Will on
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there is a reason that diving has a 90 percent wash out rate matt, lots of people are in for a shock once they get outta school
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are you referring to the lack of jobs or just the hard work that it entails?
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well matt, I think its a combo of both man. I think lots of people go through dive school and hhear all the hype and then they spend all that money. The upon grad they find work isnt that easy to come by and when they do find work its as a tender making in the low to mid teens and they are away from family and the gf offshore. Then one month of tending turns into 2 and then in turns into a year which turns into 2. They think I went to Dive school to be a diver not a tender for 15 a hour, screw this I can make that at walmart and be home every night. Then they break out and realize maybe this isnt really for them. Being in the dark, or the cold and again offshore for months outta the year. I bet if there were 50 people in your class (just a rough number) those still diving full time 5 years down the road you can probably count on one hand...
I know lots of people who have come and gone faster then it takes me to build up a nice turd. im sure other guys on the site might agree...
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Permalink Reply by Fish_food on
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true... In my class there were 12 students. Only 2 are working in the dive bussiness today. All the others returned to their old jobs. Not so because there was no work, but more because the conditions in their old job was better... even with half of what my boss was paying them. I work nearly 12 years for the same inshore company. I've seen a fair share of new guys passing thru. Some good, some bad but most of em left because of the lifestyle. Meaning; work during weekends, get called out of bed to do some prop job intervention, don't like winters, affraid of lockdoors, getting stuck on a barge, don't like dirty and hazmat jobs, work on birthdays, long dives and long repet dives, getting home late etc. Every new guy comes to us with the idea of what they saw on discovery channel, red necks with big safety hats and shiny divegear, diving in crystal clear waters. Once we drop the aquadyne hat on their noodle, that world starts falling down and then they drop out.
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not to mention the missus hates the bag of cloathes that are always ready to go taking up valuble shoe room in the closet by the front door. She hates that almost more than getting called in on a emergency job 2 hours before your supposed to go out on that special date for her birthday or anniversary or something. :)
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Permalink Reply by Nate Melnik on
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Im attnding CDA in january...how was it?... they really like to brag about people theyve gotten jobs. at least the list is on their website...im hoping to just either work on offshore as a tender or pretty much whatever i can get. that is until i get the green lite to get wet. what do you think about their "lifetime job placement"
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I think your in the running with every swinging d*** that has ever went thru their doors, but it may work every great once in a while. Keep your education going learn rov's. good luck,
Ace
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