Underwater welding is a specialized field. There is an increase for underwater welding skills as the need for offshore fuel development rises. The need for repairing and developing marine infrastructure also drives the growing opportunities for these skills. Here is a starting guide for jobs in the field of underwater welding.
To enter into a career of underwater diving, a welder needs to be a certified welder and a commercial diver. According the American Welding Society (AWS) the person needs to be able to weld by the standards of AWS D3.6M Underwater Welding Code. Other welding functions need to be performed on an as-needed basis.
A certified surface welder with no other related experience would first have to attend a commercial diving school. The beginning of the welder career is two years as an apprentice diver, also called a diver-tender. Diving contractors typically require a welder-diver to display skills in underwater and on land welding. Then, a diving contractor will expect the welder-diver to pass qualifications tests and achieve certification as per AWS D3.6M Underwater Welding Code.
If already a commercial diver, it is best to contact diving contractors to see what their specific requirements are to meet their underwater welding standards. It is required to first become a commercial diver and then train as an underwater welder. Sport dive certification, such as scuba diving, does not qualify as commercial diver certification.
As recommended by the Association of Diving Contractors, commercial diving training includes learning commercial diving equipment safety, deep-sea commercial work environments, safety standards and any other topics determined by the Association of Diving Contractors Consensus Standards for Commercial Diving Operations.
There are no age limitations for a diver. It is important to be in good physical shape with annual checkups. It is a general requirement that all welder-divers meet the standards of a yearly dive physical.
Pay scales for divers vary from $100,000 up to $250,000 annually depending on how many projects a diver takes on. Typically, a welder-diver is paid by the project and depending on the skills needed and other factors, pay rates can vary.
Skills that are recommended that raise the value of a welder-diver are:
- underwater cutting
- fitting and rigging
- inspection
- testing
- drafting
- underwater photography
- pre-project planning skills
- cutting, cleaning, rigging and installing sections
Formal training is needed and maintaining certifications is an ongoing career process for welder-divers. Careers as a certified welder can lead to opportunities in fields such as engineering, teaching and diving operations supervising and inspecting.
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