Occupational Dive Training
Occupational Dive Training Programs are intended to prepare divers with the qualifications, knowledge, and skills necessary to enter the commercial diving industry, and they can encompass a wide array of diving activities.
What is "Commercial Diving"?
Commercial diving may be considered any application of professional diving whereby a diver engages in underwater work for industrial, construction, engineering, maintenance, or other commercial purposes which are similar to work done out of the water, and where the diving is usually secondary to the work. This can include Public Safety Diving, Scientific Diving, and Media Production as well.
The primary procedural distinction between professional and recreational diving is that the recreational diver dives for enjoyment, and is responsible primarily for their own actions and safety, but may voluntarily accept limited responsibility for dive buddies. Whereas the professional diver is being paid to work (often hazardous), is part of a team of people with extensive responsibilities and obligations to each other, usually to an employer or client, and these responsibilities and obligations are formally defined in contracts, legislation, regulations, operations manuals, standing orders, and compulsory or voluntary codes of practice. Additionally, while the recreational diving industry is Self-Regulated, Occupational Diving, on the other hand, is governed by legal framework and industrial regulations.
Major applications of commercial diving include:
- Offshore Diving – Diving outside the territorial waters of a country
- Civil Engineering Diving – Diving in support of civil engineering projects and public works projects
- Underwater Construction – Industrial construction in an underwater environment
- Salvage Diving – Diving work associated with the recovery of vehicles, cargo, lost items, and structures
- Ships Husbandry Diving – Diving related to the maintenance and upkeep of ships, including calls for aid
- Military Diving – Diving as a member of a uniformed service for defense purposes
- Public Safety Diving – Diving as a member of a public rescue or police service
- Scientific Diving – Diving for the purpose of scientific study
- Occupational Media Production Diving – Diving to record images or video for scientific, industrial, or creative projects
- Hazmat Diving – Underwater diving in a known hazardous materials environment, including chemical and nuclear contaminated environments
PDC offers Occupational Diver training programs designed to qualify divers with the KSA's required to enter the commercial industry, and graduates of these programs will be signed off as entry-level Occupational Divers.
These are intensive, prolonged training programs that require 100% initiative and extensive effort from the student. Failure to Train, follow instructions, or safety violations on behalf of the student, may result in being Dropped from Roles.
Costs:
All courses have an enrollment cost, however, this is only the base cost of course enrollment. It includes academics, lectures, and practical instruction. It does not include the cost of facility use, dives, gases and fills, travel, accommodations, food, any expendable items, equipment needs, etc. These things must be paid by each participant separately.
Occupational EANx Diver
Occupational EANx Diver Course
The Occupational EANx Diver Course provides qualified candidates with the base working knowledge and skills necessary to work safely as an Occupational SCUBA Diver.
A list of required academics and practical requirements includes:
- Diving science
- Diving equipment and tools used for occupational work
- Diving equipment maintenance and care
- Industrial standards
- Industrial safety
- Hazardous materials
- Rigging and lifting
- Maintenance practices
- Underwater inspections
- Basic underwater imaging and videography
- Documentation and reports
- and more.
The minimum age for this course is:
- 18 years or older.
The minimum prerequisites for this course are:
- MSD Certified
- Divers Alert Network (DAN) – DFA Pro certified
- EANx Nitrox Certified
- Dry Suit Certified
- Full Face Mask Certified
- Candidates must have good swimming skills, including a good development of basic swim strokes, and pass a Class 2 Swim Test prior to being allowed to enroll in the course.
- Mastery of Core Skills for diving
- It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 200 logged dives, considerable experience as a diver, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
- Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations on shore, in the water on the surface, and underwater.
Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements. Students may include the purchase of all required equipment, or equipment they are missing, as a part of course enrollment.
Students MUST receive a diving medical examination from a hyperbaric physician or equivalent, and MUST turn in the completed and signed medical questionnaire available for download at the bottom of this page, before enrollment.
Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Occupational EANx Diver (Unrestricted to 40m) certification from the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD), and they will be authorized to work in the commercial industry as an Occupational EANx SCUBA Diver.
UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Course cost includes:
- Administrative fees
- Course academics and student materials
Does not include:
- Transportation
- Food
- Accommodations
- Equipment
- Cost of dives
NOTE: Any incidental costs will be charged separately as required and/or upon completion of course.
To enroll in this course, please download a copy of the Medical Questionnaire below, follow the instructions, and sign. Then fill out the Occupational Diving Enrollment Form below. Please answer the questions in the form and send it, and we will get back to you as soon as able.
Do you have questions about how courses are structured, your certification, equipment, or costs? Please visit our FAQ's page for more information that might be helpful.
Surface Supplied Diver
Surface Supplied Diver Course
The Surface Supplied Diver course provides the qualified Occupational EANx Diver candidate with the base knowledge and skills necessary to safely operate surface-supplied systems for occupational diving use.
A list of required academics and practical requirements includes:
- Low pressure and high pressure compressors
- Compressor operations and safety
- Air quality and contamination
- Air Discharge Volume and compressor pressure requirements
- Hoses, lines, and umbilical systems
- Pre-dive, through dive, and post-dive checks
- Line tending
- Hose, line, or umbilical management
- Regulators, masks, and helmets for surface-supplied use
- Breathing resistance adjustment
- Bailout systems
- Communications
- Emergency procedures
- and more.
The minimum age for this course is:
- 18 years or older.
The minimum prerequisites for this course are:
- MSD Certified
- Divers Alert Network (DAN) – DFA Pro certified
- EANx Nitrox Certified
- Dry Suit Certified
- Full Face Mask Certified
- Occupational EANx Diver Certified
- Candidates must have good swimming skills, including a good development of basic swim strokes, and pass a Class 2 Swim Test prior to being allowed to enroll in the course.
- Mastery of Core Skills for diving
- It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 200 logged dives, considerable experience as a diver, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
- Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations on shore, in the water on the surface, and underwater.
Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements. Students may include the purchase of all required equipment, or equipment they are missing, as a part of course enrollment.
Students MUST receive a diving medical examination from a hyperbaric physician or equivalent, and MUST turn in the completed and signed medical questionnaire available for download at the bottom of this page, before enrollment.
Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Surface Supplied Diver (Unrestricted to 50m) certification from the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD), and they will be authorized to work in the commercial industry as an Occupational Surface Supplied Diver.
UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Course cost includes:
- Administrative fees
- Course academics and student materials
Does not include:
- Transportation
- Food
- Accommodations
- Equipment
- Cost of dives
NOTE: Any incidental costs will be charged separately as required and/or upon completion of course.
To enroll in this course, please download a copy of the Medical Questionnaire below, follow the instructions, and sign. Then fill out the Occupational Diving Enrollment Form below. Please answer the questions in the form and send it, and we will get back to you as soon as able.
Do you have questions about how courses are structured, your certification, equipment, or costs? Please visit our FAQ's page for more information that might be helpful.
Salvage Diver
Salvage Diver Course
The Salvage Diver Course provides the qualified Surface Supplied Diver candidate with the base knowledge and skills necessary to safely participate in the removal and/or recovery of damaged or sunken vessels, items, structures, and cargo.
A list of required academics and practical requirements includes:
- Recovery operations
- Underwater hazards and awareness
- Environmental awareness and safety
- Inspections and assessments
- Overhead and debris safety
- Rigging
- Hoists, cranes, and cables
- Structural stability, density, suction, and lifting requirements
- Hydraulic tools
- Lift bags
- Cable, line, and tether management
- Towing
- Communications
- Emergency procedures
- and more.
The minimum age for this course is:
- 18 years or older.
The minimum prerequisites for this course are:
- MSD Certified
- Divers Alert Network (DAN) – DFA Pro certified
- EANx Nitrox Certified
- Dry Suit Certified
- Full Face Mask Certified
- Surface Supplied Diver Certified
- Candidates must have good swimming skills, including a good development of basic swim strokes, and pass a Class 2 Swim Test prior to being allowed to enroll in the course.
- Mastery of Core Skills for diving
- It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 200 logged dives, considerable experience as a diver, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
- Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations on shore, in the water on the surface, and underwater.
Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements. Students may include the purchase of all required equipment, or equipment they are missing, as a part of course enrollment.
Students MUST receive a diving medical examination from a hyperbaric physician or equivalent, and MUST turn in the completed and signed medical questionnaire available for download at the bottom of this page, before enrollment.
Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Salvage Diver certification from the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD), and they will be authorized to work in the commercial industry as an Occupational Salvage Diver.
UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Course cost includes:
- Administrative fees
- Course academics and student materials
Does not include:
- Transportation
- Food
- Accommodations
- Equipment
- Cost of dives
NOTE: Any incidental costs will be charged separately as required and/or upon completion of course.
To enroll in this course, please download a copy of the Medical Questionnaire below, follow the instructions, and sign. Then fill out the Occupational Diving Enrollment Form below. Please answer the questions in the form and send it, and we will get back to you as soon as able.
Do you have questions about how courses are structured, your certification, equipment, or costs? Please visit our FAQ's page for more information that might be helpful.
Occupational Media Production Diver
Occupational Media Production Diver Course
Occupational media production divers perform underwater photography and underwater cinematography for commercial use outside of normal recreational interests. Media diving is often carried out in support of television documentaries and movies, but also for scientific diving, commercial / occupational diving, and for educational use as well.
Equipment in this field is varied with both SCUBA and surface supplied equipment used depending on requirements and environmental conditions. Open circuit SCUBA and surface-supplied systems are primarily used for commercial operations, and rebreathers are increasingly more common in use for wildlife related work, as they are quiet, release few or no bubbles, and allow the diver a lengthy bottom time with a reduced risk of frightening off the subject.
A list of required academics and practical requirements includes:
- Underwater hazards and awareness
- Environmental awareness and safety
- Photography and videography basics
- The "Art" and "Science" of photography
- Lighting and filters for underwater images
- Cameras, video recorders, housings, and associated equipment
- Camera settings and lighting techniques
- Equipment weight and the diver
- Inspection and documentary work and techniques
- Diver skills and techniques for image capture quality
- Digital editing and post-production
- and more.
The minimum age for this course is:
- 18 years or older.
The minimum prerequisites for this course are:
- MSD Certified
- Divers Alert Network (DAN) – DFA Pro certified
- EANx Nitrox Certified
- Dry Suit Certified
- Full Face Mask Certified
- Occupational EANx Diver Certified
- Candidates must have good swimming skills, including a good development of basic swim strokes, and pass a Class 2 Swim Test prior to being allowed to enroll in the course.
- Mastery of Core Skills for diving
- It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 200 logged dives, considerable experience as a diver, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
- Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations on shore, in the water on the surface, and underwater.
Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements. Students may include the purchase of all required equipment, or equipment they are missing, as a part of course enrollment.
Students MUST receive a diving medical examination from a hyperbaric physician or equivalent, and MUST turn in the completed and signed medical questionnaire available for download at the bottom of this page, before enrollment.
Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Occupational Media Production Diver certification from the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD), and they will be authorized to work in the commercial industry as an Occupational Media Production Diver.
UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Course cost includes:
- Administrative fees
- Course academics and student materials
Does not include:
- Transportation
- Food
- Accommodations
- Equipment
- Cost of dives
NOTE: Any incidental costs will be charged separately as required and/or upon completion of course.
To enroll in this course, please download a copy of the Medical Questionnaire below, follow the instructions, and sign. Then fill out the Occupational Diving Enrollment Form below. Please answer the questions in the form and send it, and we will get back to you as soon as able.
Do you have questions about how courses are structured, your certification, equipment, or costs? Please visit our FAQ's page for more information that might be helpful.