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ItsRobsLife

I'm looking into retraining as a commercial diver working in underwater construction, generally inshore with surface supplied or scuba and with welding and surveying courses. There are two courses I'm looking at in the UK but they are very expensive, £10,000+

I guess you get what you pay for and the high initial cost is offset by the good wages for this kind of work, but if there was somewhere in SEA that could offer recognised and reputable training for less money it would be great.

If you have any information, leads worth looking into or websites offering courses and employment it would be much appreciated.

Wayne Kerr

Not Southeast Asia mate, but I did some stuff with this group in Tasmania, Australia. Not sure of the cost these days but it is in a very beautiful part of the world with low cost of living, i.e., my 2 bedroom house with ocean views was AU$50/week. The guys at the centre lived on crayfish and abalone they collected on dives. They used to boast 100% employment for trainees, many ended up in this part of the world.

The Underwater Centre Tasmania

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ItsRobsLife

Thanks a lot. No prices there, but I've fired off an Email for more info.

BKK Tony

Adam Sandaver is out of prison now, done his crime and served his time as they say, he is a commercial diver in Australia and spends his spare time here in Chiang Mai, probably worth contacting asandaver[at]yahoo.com

ECO WARRIOR

Look here also Sat Divers do it deeper


Courses in marine technology for commercial divers, professional underwater divers

pm if you need more info

Spin

How come he was in prison? Not sure if i would want to dive with a crim.

It aint much of a recommendation.

ItsRobsLife

^ Yeah I think i'll pass on that one! Thanks for the all the info though.
I'm looking at several possibilities including doing the commercial scuba training here in UK to get the basics and doing the surface supplied and welding/cutting courses elsewhere. Tasmania looks like a good option as it would give me a foot in the door for Australia. I'll have to wait and see for the prices.

Slipstream

All the training outfits are churning out divers at xxx rate of knots and the prices are going up all the time.
At the last count Fort Bill in the UK is around £14,000 all in (digs, food and courses).
For your SAT course you need (or are supposed to need ) a year or so OFFSHORE and that costs an additional £16,000+.
You need to know someone on the inside already to get offshore (where the money is) who will really put in a good word for you.
Unless you are lucky this is how a lot of divers get regular work on the DSVs.
Even then be prepared to wait for work.
Competition is fierce (even more so than the rigs) and places are few and far between.
Be prepared to wait in line with every other diver. Civils diving (inshore) is often a stop-gap cause of this.
Do not expect work off this investment straight away and can take a while before you have paid it off.
Be very willing to kiss goodbye to your investment until out of the blue that golden contract springs up out of nowhere.
Think feast and famine and you're halfway to understanding the commercial diving world...