Divers work underwater in rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs or the sea. They are employed by all kinds of organisations - their work can vary greatly according to the employer's business.
They could work:

The hours of work vary from job to job, but divers may have to work unsocial hours. Working underwater can be cold, dark and sometimes dirty. They wear protective clothing and breathing apparatus.
An inland or inshore diver can earn around £15,500. Very experienced divers can earn up to £46,800.

Divers should be: excellent swimmers physically fit strong, with plenty of stamina able to follow safety procedures able to work as part of a team or alone.

Divers are usually self-employed. They work in the offshore oil and gas industries, civil engineering and construction, marine and archaeological research, and film, TV and photography.
There are no minimum qualifications for diver training. Experience in recreational diving can be useful. To dive professionally in Great Britain they must have a qualification approved by the Health & Safety Executive and pass a thorough medical.
Many professional divers gain academic or technical qualifications relevant to their chosen industry before they train to dive.

What is the work like?
Divers work underwater in rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs or the sea. Their work varies according to the employer’s business. What they have in common, apart from recreational diving, is that diving is just a means of getting to a worksite that happens to be underwater.
There are different types of diving work, each needing different skills:

The skills that divers use vary according to the work they do. Many divers use engineering or scientific skills. This includes underwater inspection, non-destructive testing, welding, cutting and burning, and mechanical engineering techniques, often using remote equipment.
Starting salaries vary considerably, and could be between £9,000 and £30,000 a year.

Hours and environment

The hours of work vary between jobs, but divers often work unsocial hours. The amount of time they are allowed to spend underwater is strictly controlled.
Working underwater can be cold, dark and often dirty. Divers wear protective clothing (wetsuits, goggles and flippers) and breathing apparatus to survive underwater. The type of clothing depends on the nature of the work and the depth of the dive. Divers working on some offshore jobs may have to live for up to 28 days in pressure chambers that simulate undersea pressure.
Many diving jobs are short-term contract work, so divers may have to be flexible and move around the country to find work.

Salary and other benefits

These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and where people live.
Most divers are paid by the day, and these figures are based on payment for 180 days each year:

Skills and personal qualities

A diver should be:

Interests

It is important to:

Getting in

There are around 1,000 UK-based divers working in the offshore oil and gas industries. Most are employed on a short-term contract basis by a small number of major international diving contractors.
There are approximately 5,000 UK-based divers in other diving sectors (excluding the Royal Navy and Army). Most of them work on a short-term contract basis for small firms of diving contractors that are located at coastal ports and harbours. Other employers of a small number of divers include:

There are opportunities in the police, Royal Navy and Army. Some Royal Navy divers are full time. Many, though, have other Royal Navy jobs and only dive when required, which is the same with Army divers.
There is strong competition for diving jobs, so vacancies, other than for recreation diving instructors, tend not to be advertised. Divers have to approach employers direct to try to find work. Vacancies for recreational diving instructors are advertised on the internet and in Diver magazine.

Entry for young people
To become a working diver (including teaching and guiding recreational divers) it is necessary to have a Certificate Of Diver training issued by a diving school approved by the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE). There are different levels of certification according to the work to be undertaken:

There are no minimum qualifications for diver training, although experience in recreational diving is very helpful. Divers must be medically fit and pass a thorough medical examination before training.
Entrants need to have both the diving skills and work skills that employers want. Most opportunities are for commercial divers with engineering or scientific skills. It is advisable, therefore, to gain relevant technical or academic qualifications before training to dive. Examples include NVQs/SVQs in welding or non-destructive testing, or degrees in a science or engineering subject, or in archaeology.
There are some higher education courses that enable students to learn to dive at their college or university, then train as commercial divers after completing their course. They include underwater or offshore engineering and some marine biology, underwater science and marine archaeology courses.
Police - applicants need to have worked in the police force for at least two years before applying to become a diver. They must pass fitness and medical tests, swimming tests in a swimming pool and in open water.
Royal Navy - applicants need a good general education. They must pass entry tests, strength and fitness tests, and a medical. Previous diving experience is preferred.
Army - divers are selected from applicants who are serving in the Royal Engineers.

Entry for adults
There is no upper age limit for entry to diving, providing applicants are fit enough to pass the HSE’s annual medical assessment.

Training

Training takes place at an HSE-approved diving school. The training varies according to the qualification, but includes theory, practical exercises and safety training. Courses usually last between one and five weeks. Diver training and diving equipment is expensive.
Police - divers have an eight-week training course at one of the national police diving schools run by the Strathclyde and Northumbria forces.
Royal Navy - diver training takes place at the Defence Diving School at Portsmouth and lasts 20 weeks.
Army - diver training takes place at the Defence Diving School at Portsmouth and lasts six weeks, with a further eight weeks for an advanced diver course.

Getting on

Divers can train for different levels of certification, which enables them to extend their range of diving work. In some areas it may be possible to move into supervisory and management work.
There may be opportunities to work overseas.

Further information

The British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), Telford’s Quay, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 4FL. 0151 350 6200. Website: www.bsac.com
Cogent SSC Ltd, Minerva House, Bruntland Road, Portlethen, Aberdeen AB12 4QL. 01224 787800. Website: www.cogent-ssc.com
Health and Safety Executive Information Services, Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HS. 0845 345 0055. Website: www.hse.gov.uk
The International Marine Contractors Association, 5 Lower Belgrave Street, London SW1W 0NR. 020 7824 5520. Website: www.imca-int.com
The Nautical Archaeology Society, Fort Cumberland, Fort Cumberland Road, Eastney, Portsmouth PO4 9LD. 023 9281 8419. Website: www.nasportsmouth.org.uk
Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Website: www.padi.com
Society for Underwater Technology ( SUT), 80 Coleman Street, London EC2R 5BJ. 020 7382 2601. Website: www.sut.org.uk

Further reading

Are you involved in a diving project? - HSE
The Professional Diver’s Handbook (2nd edition) - Submex Ltd

Magazines/journals:

Dive
Diver
(Some may be priced)

For further details please see:

http://www.connexions-direct.com/

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