Professional diver (Beroepsduiker)
Information on this skill...
A professional diver is a diver who dives professionally to be able to carry out work or research under water. Diving as a professional diver should be seen as a means to carry out work under the surface of the water. It is therefore not the case that the core task of a professional diver is diving. The profession of professional diver refers to a professional who uses diving as a means to carry out his or her work under water. Of course, being able to dive safely as a professional diver is also very important and this is an important part of the work. The profession of professional diver can relate to different professions, because working under the surface of the water plays an important role within various professions. Think, for example, of offshore work (working on pipelines, drilling platforms, wind energy sector and production stations), inshore work (working on locks and inspecting ports, dams and jetties), shipbuilding (repairs and salvages), the army and scientific researchers. In addition, a professional diver can also work within the civil sector to work on tunnels and construction pits. The profession of professional diver should therefore be seen as a general name, because it can relate to different types of professions and specialists. In addition, not all professional divers perform full-time diving activities, because a professional diver can also be responsible for general work above the surface of the water, which has to do with the final diving work.
A professional diver cannot be seen as an ordinary hobby diver, because professional divers do not dive for the sake of diving. A professional diver will dive professionally to carry out work and/or research under the surface of the water. For example, a professional diver may be an underwater welder who will weld pipelines or other things together. Welding under the surface of the water will usually be carried out by means of special water-resistant welding electrodes that allow welding under water. Welding underwater as a welder is not easy and requires various additional training as a welder. Underwater welding as a welder is dangerous, because an underwater welder will have to concentrate not only on welding but also on diving. In addition, there is a danger of electrocution as an underwater welder. This is also the main reason that during underwater welding will be worked with a lower voltage. Explosions (knalgas) is also a risk of welding under water.
PROFESSIONAL DIVER OFFSHORE-INDUSTRIE
Professional divers working within the offshore industry can also perform work other than welding work. Think of checking construction works such as oil platforms, inspection work, repairs to seagoing vessels and salvage work. The recovery of objects can again relate to seagoing vessels, aircraft, sea containers and loose cargo. Salvage work as a professional diver can be very dangerous, because a professional diver must, for example, work with a cutting torch. In addition, the stability of objects can pose a danger. The storage of objects under the surface of the water concerns specialist work that is often carried out in a team.
CIVIL ACTIVITIES AS A PROFESSIONAL DIVER
Professional divers are not only employed at sea, because the civil sector also uses professional divers. Think, for example, of Rijkswaterstaat, which will regularly deploy professional divers to build and/or check locks, ports, sheet piling and jetties. Another name for this is also called hydraulic engineer as a professional diver. Which activities a professional diver performs exactly within the civil sector can differ per assignment. A professional diver within the civil sector can use welding equipment, sledgehammers, drills and photo machines.
PROFESSIONAL DIVER DEFENCE
The Ministry of Defence uses professional divers in various ways. For example, a professional diver within the Ministry of Defence can be a marine who also has to dive for his or her work. In addition, there is the "Defence Diving Group" section within the Ministry of Defence, in which various professional divers work who are responsible for inspecting ports, ships and maintenance work. Other activities include cleaning up explosives under water. The Defence diving group therefore works together with the Explosives Clearance Service Defence (EOD).
RESEARCHER AND PROFESSIONAL DIVER
Researchers can also work as professional divers. Consider, for example, a zoologist who conducts research into the origin and development of various animal species in the water. A zoologist is a researcher who can also work in the field for scientific research. A geologist and a geomorphologist can also be classified as professional divers, because they study earth sciences. It is not the case that all researchers will automatically also be a professional diver, but it is conceivable that in some cases a researcher will also carry out research in the field. Other researchers who can dive for their work are oceanographers and archaeologists who specialize in underwater archaeology.
WHAT DOES A PROFESSIONAL DIVER DO:
TRAINING TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL DIVER
Various training courses are offered to become a professional diver, which in turn will depend on the work as a professional diver. Within the profession of professional diver, not everything revolves around diving, because diving should be seen as a means to get to the workplace. Professional divers therefore use different diving techniques than hobby divers. Within the profession of professional diver, the emphasis will be much more on giving effort under water as a professional diver. Because professional divers in some cases have to dive up to 450 meters, professional divers in many cases use air supplies from the surface, which will be supplied via a hose. Accounting is also important as an entrepreneur. For more information about possible training courses, see the Knowledge Centre for Labour under Overpressure.
COMPANIES WHERE A PROFESSIONAL DIVER CAN BE EMPLOYED
A professional diver can work within the offshore industry, the civil sector, the shipping sector, the salvage sector, the fire brigade and for Defence. In addition, a professional diver can work for specialized companies that offer various divers and activities. Where exactly a professional diver will work depends on the specific profession as a professional diver. For example, welding under water requires different skills than inspecting sheet piling. Professional divers are fairly often employed as entrepreneurs.
COMPETENCES PROFESSIONAL DIVER
The most important competence of a professional diver is being able to work safely under water. In addition, there are strict requirements when it comes to the physical condition as a professional diver. In general, communication can also be regarded as an important competence, because safe diving has everything to do with communication. Other competences of a professional diver are highly dependent on the type of work, because there are various professions for a professional diver. Generally important words for a professional diver are passion, training, insight, sense of responsibility, reliability, motivation, precision, perseverance, stress resistance and courage.
LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS A PROFESSIONAL DIVER
The labour market perspective as a professional diver is generally fairly good, because there are not very many people who want to work as a professional diver. The labour market perspective can vary per sector, because employers can also ask for specific professional divers who have certain skills. The career opportunities as a professional diver are generally limited and depend on the type of training and your own competencies.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY OF PROFESSIONAL DIVER
There are no examples of the employment conditions as a professional diver, because you can work for different types of employers in different industries. A professional diver working in the offshore sector will usually earn a salary between 3000 and 4000 euros gross per month depending on age, education and further responsibilities.
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