# Deep Sea Welding - Navy first?



## RileyGrey (13 Jul 2010)

HI THERE!
im currently doing my apprenticeship as a general carpenter, once i have my red seal in this trade ide like to follow something i enjoy even more and that is welding! but i would like to start as a deep sea welding making the BIG BUCKS! my QUESTION is, is the Navy a good way to get the necessary requirements i would need to become a deep sea welder/underwater welder. Diving is something i am very interested in, and i guess im asking what do i get if i sign up for the navy? will i have a choice in what job i get? Are there jobs for welders in the navy? and can the navy give me the tickets i would need to become a certified welder. i would appreciate any advice anyone has to offer. thank you

-Riley Grey


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## theSeaDog (13 Jul 2010)

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say no. 

Advice: 

If you want to get into deep sea welding, enroll in a school that specializes in deep sea welding. 
If you want to join the Navy, join the Navy.


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## boyblue (14 Jul 2010)

One option that you have in the navy if you want to weld is the hull tec trade. Try the C.F.R.C. web cite lots and lots of info....


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## Pusser (14 Jul 2010)

If your goal is to become a deep sea welder, becoming a clearance diver in the Navy is neither a quick nor an easy route to go.  Clearance Diver is a "robber" trade, which means you can't simply join it right away off the street.  You have to first join the CF in a different occupation (it doesn't really matter which one, but sea-going ones or combat engineering are best).  You will need to become trade-qualified in that occupation and at the same time become qualified as either a ship's or combat diver.  This will normally take around four years minimum.  Ship's and combat diver are not occupations unto themselves.  Qualified members still have to perform their regular trade duties and they dive on the side.  They are restricted to shallow-water diving (i.e. two atmospheres as I recall).  They don't do any welding.  If you are sucessful as a ship's or combat diver, you can apply to become a clearance diver, but keep in mind that it's still the whole occupation transfer process and if your original occupation is not letting anyone out, you may be out of luck.

If you're accepted into clearance diving training, the hard work really begins!  It's a long course and the standards are very high.  Going for a swim in Halifax Harbour in January is not a lot of fun.


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## western_welder (16 Jul 2010)

as a red seal welder i would recommend not doing underwater welding.  yeah the money is good but your chances of getting really hurt is huge.  just go through the trade and get a "B" pressure ticket.  you can make alot doing that and you wont be forced to leave the trade after 5 years because the water pressures have screwed up your body.


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## untouchables (16 Jul 2010)

If you are looking for big bucks in this field, deep sea welding in the civil market is already a high paying career, could fetch up to 200K annually (depending on skills,experience,expertise.)  but as some other members have mentioned YES IT IS RISKY. Deep sea welding is not welding just itself but also diving   takes a lot of training just for that too. Just a small advice if you wish to enter this field(civil) and you happen to be in the Toronto area, Seneca college offers courses regarding this field, you could look up to it and also you need a civil diving license such as ones issued by PADI , I got one too for recreational diving a year ago ;D, and deep sea diving is a completely different field, requires more than one air tank, mixing different gases or what they call it "Technical Diving"  as aforementioned in the previous posts, the pressure has negative effects on the body, and IT IS PROVEN to shorten your lifespan, also diving over 50 meters of water where the sunlight might not reach is scary, also the clarity of the water is a hazard, also the gas mixtures can kill you if it is not mixed or prepared properly/contaminated.
In summary its just that there are so many risks involved in this field civil and military that the pay might not compensate for the associated risks. :blotto: and if you have family  :'(.... the price could be hard to bear......

But I believe the navy is they way to go in this field as stated in previous posts. But they occupation they mention also requires some engineering skills...according to the forces.ca website, but they teach you I assume. In any case I give you my best wishes, just the application process is a huge wait, so good luck thinking about this. And don't take my word(s) for granted, I'm an applicant in the process who happens to be a licensed diver but not applying for navy, so Best of luck.


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