Entry Level Qualification 

12

Career Fields 

Sports & Fitness

For Specially Abled 

Career Entrance Exam 

No Entrance Exam

About Career 

Professional Divers swim underwater at various depths of a sea, river, lake, and other water bodies to perform various functions such as recreational (for example, SCUBA diving) and commercial (such as diving to repair a ship, fix a deep sea oil pipeline or a cable carrying internet traffic, diving for carrying out underwater scientific experiments, etc.). There are several fields of diving, in which you may find work, depending upon your training, experience, and specialisation. Your work activities will depend upon your field of diving.

Recreational Diving

1. You may choose to work in recreational diving whereby you would be using SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diving kits to train, guide and take tourists to see underwater marine life.

2. You may also work as a Diving Instructor and train aspirant Divers in SCUBA diving.

Inland or inshore Professional Diving

You may choose to work with shallow depth inland or inshore diving whereby you would be using surface supplied breathing gases through an airline which attached to a surface equipment. Such divers are engaged for a number of objectives such as:

1. Search and rescue

2. Searching for evidence for a criminal activity

3. Searching and recovering submerged objects

4. Construction and repair of underwater civil or machinery installations

5. Conducting repair work under ships or ports

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

You will have one or more of the following responsibilities:

1. You will be descending into an inland or inshore water body (such as rivers and ponds) or offshore water (high seas or seawater areas nearer to the shore) to carry out different activities.

2. You have to take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin.

3. You have to check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges.

4. You will be communicating with workers on the surface while underwater, using signal lines or telephones.

5. You may be inspecting and testing docks, ships, buoyage systems, plant intakes or outflows, or underwater pipelines, cables, or sewers, using closed-circuit television, still photography, and testing equipment.

6. You may be taking tourists undersea to help them watch and enjoy marine life.

7. You may be diving to repair ships, bridge foundations, or other structures below the waterline, using caulk, bolts, and hand tools.

8. You may be diving to recover objects by hooking rigging to crane lines, placing rigging around sunken objects, and operating derricks, winches, or cranes to raise objects.

9. You may be operating underwater video, recording, sonar, or related equipment to investigate underwater structures or marine life or taking test samples or photographs to assess the condition of vessels or structures.

10. You may be performing activities related to underwater search and rescue, salvage, recovery, or cleanup operations.

11. You may be performing offshore oil or gas exploration or extraction duties, such as conducting underwater surveys or repairing and maintaining drilling rigs or platforms.

12. You may be supervising or training other divers, including hobby divers.

Career Entry Pathway 

Class 8 in school – SCUBA Diver Training – Commercial Diver Training

After completing your primary education till Class 8 in school, you can start by training to be a Master SCUBA Diver first and then take Commercial Diver training. You can go for Open Water Diving Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then SCUBA Diver Training from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then Advanced Open Water Diving Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then Rescue Diver Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then Speciality Diver Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then Master SCUBA Diver Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course. Thereafter, you can go for Technical SCUBA Diver Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course or SSBA (Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus) training for commercial diving. This sequence may not be followed ditto, but this is a profitable suggestion.

Class 10 with any subjects – SCUBA Diver Training – Commercial Diver Training

After passing Class 10 with any subjects, you can start by training to be a Master SCUBA Diver first and then take Commercial Diver training. After your Commercial Diver Training, you can also take training in a specialised field of Commercial Diving. You can go for Open Water Diving Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then SCUBA Diver Training from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then Advanced Open Water Diving Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then Rescue Diver Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then Speciality Diver Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course; then Master SCUBA Diver Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course. Thereafter, you can go for Technical SCUBA Diver Training Course from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or similar course or SSBA (Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus) training for commercial diving. This sequence may not be followed ditto, but this is a profitable suggestion. After SSBA or technical courses, you can go for Specialised Commercial Diver Training such as underwater photography, wreckage, etc.

Class 10 with any subjects – Commercial Diver Training

After passing Class 10 with any subjects, you can directly join a Commercial Diver training program. After your Commercial Diver Training, you can also take training in a specialised field of Commercial Diving.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies - Commercial Diver Training

After passing Class 10, you can directly join a Commercial Diver training program or you can complete Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies and then join a Commercial Diving training program. After your Commercial Diver Training, you can also take training in a specialized field of Commercial Diving.

Required Qualification & Competencies 

1. To become a Professional Diver, you should at the least pass Class 8 and should do an online course followed by some experiences of diving in closed pool water and thereafter in lakes, rivers or oceans.

2. You will have to go step by step, gain experience of different diving situations, log dives and obtain progressive certifications. Dive Log is maintained to have an official record of how many times you have dived, to what depth, etc.

3. Training programs and certificates are provided by various centres which are affiliated with or approved by worldwide associations or organizations such as PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) and BSAC (British Sub-Aqua Club).

4. Indian Navy’s Diving School in Kochi also offers world-class diving training.

Step 1: Train to be a SCUBA Diver or a Basic Commercial Diver

1. You could begin with an online course for Open Water Diving. Thereafter you can train yourself as a SCUBA Diver (for recreational diving) step by step with progressive certification or join a basic Commercial Diving Training Program.

2. To join a basic Commercial Diving Training, you need be at least 18 years of age and have passed class X.

3. To become a Master SCUBA Diver, you need to be at least 18 years of age.

Step 2: Train to be a Technical SCUBA Diver or a SSBA Commercial Diver

1. After your Master SCUBA Diver training, you can enrol for Technical SCUBA Diver training and then start a career in professional or commercial diving.

2. Alternatively, you can enrol for SSBA (Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus) training for commercial diving.

3. If you have completed a basic Commercial Diver Training directly after class X, then this step is not required.

Step 3: Train to become a specialized Commercial Diver

1. After your SSBA training or similar courses, you can take up specialized training programs for the aquaculture industry, underwater photography, Oil and Gas industry, undersea construction industry, Air/Mixed Gas Commercial Diver, Underwater Welding, etc. and enter into a very rewarding career in Commercial Diving.

2. For entering some of the specialized fields in Commercial Diving, such as in Oil & Gas industry, Underwater Welding, etc., you should have studied Physical Science and Mathematics in class 10 or better if you have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics along with other subjects in class 12.

Competencies Required

Interests

1. You should have interests for Realistic Occupations. Realistic occupations involve more practical and hands-on activities than paperwork or office work. Realistic occupations often involve physical activities for getting things done using various tools and equipment. 

Skills

1. You should have Critical Thinking skills - analysis of complex situations, using of logic and reasoning to understand the situations and take appropriate actions or make interpretations and inferences.

2. You should have Active Listening skills - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, understanding the points being made by others, asking questions, etc.

3.You should have Operating skills - operating various machines, equipment, devices and systems.

4. You should have Quality Control Analysis skills - conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

5. You should have Time Management skills - prioritizing work, managing time effectively.

6. You should have Coordination skills -working together with other people to get things done.

7. You should have Judgment and Decision Making skills - considering pros and cons of various decision alternatives; considering costs and benefits; taking appropriate and suitable decisions.

8. You should have Technical skills - using various technologies and technical methods to get things done or solve problems.

9. You may need Machine Repair and Maintenance skills - performing repair and maintenance of different machines, equipment, and devices.

10. You should have Instruction skills - training others how to do something.

11. You should have Supervising skills - Supervising and monitoring performance of others.

12. You should have Active Learning skills - Focused and continuous learning from various sources of information, observation and otherwise for application in getting work done.

Abilities

1. You should have Arm-Hand Steadiness - to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

2. You should have Articulation ability - to speak clearly so others can understand you.

3. You should have Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence - to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and bodily motion; the ability to keep or regain your body balance when in an unstable position; the ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, hands, arms, fingers, or legs.

4. You should have Control Precision - to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

5. You should have Deductive Reasoning ability - to apply general rules and common logic to specific problems to produce answers that are logical and make sense. For example, understanding the reasons behind an event or a situation using general rules and common logic.

6. You should have Hearing Sensitivity - to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

7. You should have Manual Dexterity - to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

8. You should have Physical Stamina - to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

9. You should have Problem Sensitivity - to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

10. You should have Visual Color Discrimination ability - to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Personality Traits

1. You are always or mostly careful about your actions and behaviour.

2. You are always or mostly disciplined in your actions and behaviour.

3. You are always or mostly helpful to others.

4. You are always calm or generally remain calm in most situations.

5. You can always act independently or could do so in most situations.

6. You are fun-loving; you enjoy interacting with people and enjoy yourself.

7. You are always or mostly caring, supportive, sympathetic and kind to others.

Career - Job Opportunities & Profiles 

Most of the jobs in this field are contractual for a particular project or for a fixed period of time. Some public sector (owned by Government) companies may offer a few permanent jobs. But as the pay is very attractive, divers do not mind work on contractual assignments. You may find such work with:

1. Oil and Gas companies such as ONGC, which have offshore oil wells

2. Companies that undertake installation, repair, and maintenance of undersea installation and machinery such as oil and gas pipeline, oil well structure, undersea cables, etc.

3. Companies which undertake repair and maintenance of ships

4. Companies which undertake installation, repair, and maintenance of various inshore structure such as the columns of a bridge over a river, etc.

5. With agencies which offer services of divers for various purposes including guiding tourists

6. With agencies which offer undersea operations to scientific researchers, marine archaeologists, and marine biologists.

7. Shipping companies

8. As Diving Assistant Instructor/ Diving Instructor / Diving Program Administrator, etc. with a center offering SCUBA Diving or other Commercial Diving training programs.

Work Environment

1. You will be working (most of the time) below the water surface in different kinds of inshore and offshore water bodies starting from rivers, pond and large aquariums to sea, at different levels.

2. You may also have to take some administrative and office work such as a training centre administration, handling surface equipment, and gears, filling up various documents, team meetings, theoretical training, etc.

3. If you are in training, you will spend quite a lot of time on the surface in taking theoretical sessions, testing, etc.

Specialisation Tracks In This Career

1. SCUBA Diver (Recreational)

SCUBA divers use SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) when they dive underwater. SCUBA divers generally dive up to a depth of 40 meters (approx. 131 feet) when they work in recreational diving.

2. SCUBA Diver (Commercial)/Technical Diver

For commercial purposes such as underwater cave diving, diving for search and rescue, underwater photography, etc., SCUBA divers may dive deeper, say up to about 100-120 meters (328-394 feet approx.). Some specially trained SCUBA divers for deep diving may go up to even 180 meters (approx. 590 feet).

3. Commercial Diver (Surface Supplied inshore commercial diving)

Divers specialized in this area use surface supplied breathing gas through an airline (often called Diver’s umbilical) connected to surface equipment as well as various other gears for diving. This is often used for inshore/inland diving for various purposes.

4. Commercial Diver (Surface Supplied offshore commercial diving)

Divers specialized in this area use specially built diving suits and gears for offshore commercial diving. They might be lowered undersea in open diving bells – pressured vessels with open bottoms. Commercial Divers may dive too deep sea, say up to 800 feet.

5. Saturation Diver/Aquanaut

Saturation Divers (also referred to as Aquanaut) work at great depth under the sea. They may work below 2000-2500 feet. Typically, Saturation Divers live in a closed diving bell or pressurized undersea vessel. It’s like an undersea habitat with living quarters, dining areas, etc. These divers mostly work in scientific diving such as a survey of marine surfaces, studies in marine archaeology, marine biology, etc. This is a highly competitive field and only a handful of divers have the training in the world for saturation diving.

6. HAZMAT Diver

As the name abbreviation suggests, HAZMAT Divers, handle underwater hazardous materials. They are involved in locating, clearing, and removing hazardous materials such as toxic waste, radioactive waste, biological waste, and similar other dangerous materials. This could be a dirty job but pays extremely well.

​​​​​​​Career Growth

1. Growth in your career will depend upon your training and experience underwater. 

2. As you can see, there are a variety of tasks that a Professional Diver can undertake under various situations using different types of equipment and gears. So, all these require training and subsequent professional certifications.

3. To be eligible for various professional certification training programs, you have to prior training in certain areas/specialisation of diving and you must have a certain number of logged hours. Your diving log is key to your career growth.​​​​​​​

Salary Offered  

This field is extremely competitive but if you can be there, you will have life very few careers can give you.
India

1. In India, you can earn about Rs. 40-50,000 a month after getting the required diving certification.

2. Most jobs are contractual and earning depends upon one’s certifications, the type of commercial diving you do and your diving experience. Commercial Divers in Oil & Gas industry, Underwater construction, and maintenance, underwater welding, etc. are paid quite attractively. Depending upon these factors, you may earn about Rs. 400 – 1000 or even more per hour.

3. Senior Divers may earn about Rs. 80,000 - 1, 20, 000 a month or even more depending upon the kind of work they undertake.

4. Diving Instructors may earn about Rs. 30,000 in the Assistant Instructor level and about Rs. 75,000 as a Senior Instructor. Most of the training centres provide free food and accommodation.

Monthly Earnings In Indian Rupee

1. Entry level: 0 - 2 years of work experience

2. Junior Level: From 1 to 12 years of work experience

3. Mid-Level: From 5 to 20+ years of work experience

4. Senior Level: From 10 to 25+ years of work experience (there could be exceptions in some high-end technical, financial, engineering, creative, management, sports, and other careers; also in the near future, people will reach these levels much faster in many careers and in some careers, these levels will have no meaning as those careers will be completely tech skill driven such as even now, there is almost no level in a Cyber Security Expert’s job)

Famous Personalities 

Not Available.

Work Activities 

1. Performing physical activities - Performing physical activities that require use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

2. Handling and moving objects and materials - Using hands or otherwise use physical strength to handle and move objects and materials; maneuver, install, lift, place, manipulate, etc.

3. Communicating with co-workers and others - Communicating with people in writing, verbally or otherwise inside your workplace and various other people who have professional relationships with your place of work including vendors, government officials, etc. or with people at large.

4. Communicating with customers - Communicating with potential and existing customers of your organisation in writing, verbally or otherwise. Assisting and caring for people - Assisting people in availing of services; taking care of people in different situations; offering help and services to others.

5. Making decisions and solving problems - Analysis of data and information; evaluation of alternative decisions and results of decisions; taking the right decisions and solving problems.

6. Identifying objects, actions, and events - Identifying various characteristics of objects; observing and understanding actions and events; understanding changes in actions and events.

7. Inspecting equipment, systems, structures, and materials - Inspecting equipment, systems, structures, and materials to ascertain quality, performance, defects, causes of errors, etc.

8. Operating machines, equipment, devices, systems and processes - Using various methods and techniques to operate machines, equipment, devices, systems and processes in industrial and other settings.

9. Monitoring processes, systems and performance - Observing and recording information on various criteria to monitor mechanical, electronics, electrical and other processes and systems; monitoring progress of projects and tasks.

10. Training and teaching - Understanding the educational and training needs of others, developing training programs and educational programs, conducting training programs, teaching and instructing others.

11. Updating and using relevant knowledge - Keeping updated with the latest knowledge relevant to your fields of work and use of the relevant knowledge in getting things done.

12. Working directly with people - Working directly with people to offer them products and services, providing assistance, etc.

13. Working in a team - Working in a team of people; developing a team; maintaining professional relationships among team members.