Diver

As a diver, your duties will depend on the type of diving you do.

You could:

• survey offshore oil and gas drilling rigs and pipelines
•  carry out underwater repairs, demolition or salvage on civil engineering jobs
•  support teams on underwater filming or photography projects
•  carry out scientific research or underwater archaeology
•  search for and recover missing persons or evidence for the police
•  lead recreational scuba dives or teach scuba diving skills in the leisure sector

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
• observation and recording skills
• to be flexible and open to change
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• persistence and determination
• excellent verbal communication skills
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You can get into this job through:

• working towards this role
• applying directly
• training with a professional body

You'd normally be self-employed as a commercial diver.

With experience and further training, you could take up roles with extra responsibility like a dive leader or instructor, or a life support technician, supporting divers in a compression chamber.

If working in a dive centre, you might move into management.

You could also set up a business, or work in a related field where diving skills are useful, like swimming pool or aquarium maintenance.