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Commercial Diver

Commercial divers are highly trained professionals who perform underwater tasks in various industries, including oil and gas, engineering, scientific research, and specialized fields such as media, military, and law enforcement. Their work is essential for inspecting, repairing, and installing underwater structures, ensuring these installations function correctly and remain intact. Commercial divers may engage in diverse activities, such as underwater welding, photography, or salvage operations, contributing to the success of various industries.

At a Glance

Imagine you are a marine conservation diver, integral to a team at a marine research facility. Your mission is to monitor a local marine kelp forest and develop conservation protocols for this vital ecosystem. It is an early morning gathering in the facility's office, where maps, diving gear, and scientific instruments are spread out.

Leading the team with your expertise in marine ecosystems, you outline the day's objective: assessing the health of the kelp forest, a critical habitat facing environmental threats. The plan involves collecting water samples, documenting kelp health, and observing wildlife interactions. Accuracy and safety are paramount, as the findings will directly influence conservation strategies.

The dive site, a lush underwater kelp forest off the coast, is a familiar yet ever-evolving landscape. Your team descends into the incredible green depths. The forest is a bustling hub of marine life. You navigate through towering kelp, gathering samples, and recording data. Amidst the fronds, you notice patches of thinning kelp — an alarming indicator.

Surface-side, the issue becomes evident: the kelp forest shows signs of distress. Laboratory analysis of the samples reveals increased water temperatures and pollutants. Collaborative effort will be needed to initiate a kelp restoration project and advocate for pollutant reduction measures. You and your team prepare a comprehensive report for environmental authorities, emphasizing the urgency of intervention.

Job Duties

Job duties vary from one position to the next, but in general, commercial divers are involved in the following activities:

  • Conduct underwater inspections of structures like bridges, pipelines, and offshore oil rigs to assess their integrity and safety.
  • Perform maintenance and repair tasks on underwater installations, including welding, cutting, and fixing damaged parts.
  • Install and set up equipment for subsea construction projects, such as laying pipes or building foundations for structures.
  • Participate in salvage operations to recover sunken objects, such as ships or cargo, from the ocean floor.
  • Collect samples for scientific research, including marine biology or oceanography studies.
  • Assist in installing and maintaining underwater cables for telecommunications or power transmission.
  • Engage in environmental protection activities, including coral reef restoration or cleaning up pollution and debris.
  • Document underwater conditions and work progress through photography or video recording.
  • Operate and maintain diving equipment, including decompression chambers, underwater cameras, and breathing apparatus.
  • Adhere to safety protocols and emergency procedures to ensure the well-being of the dive team and the preservation of the marine environment.

Work Environment

Education

If you are a high school student considering a career as an environmental geophysicist, you should have a keen interest in:

  • Earth Sciences
  • Mathematics and Physics
  • Environmental Protection
  • Technology and Innovation
  • Sustainability and Resource Management

If you are a post-secondary student considering a career as an environmental geophysicist, the following programs are most applicable.

  • Geophysics
  • Environmental Geoscience
  • Geological Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Science and Policy

In most cases, the minimum education requirement to work as an environmental geophysicist is a graduate degree. Pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in fields related to environmental geophysics can enhance your expertise, career prospects, and ability to contribute to the field. These advanced degrees offer specialized knowledge and skills highly valued in both the professional and academic worlds.

In many provinces, geophysicists must obtain registration and licensure with their provincial association as a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.). The certification process for geophysicists is similar to that of engineering professions and is typically overseen by the same regulatory body.

Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.

Skills

Technical Skills

  • Seismic data interpretation
  • Geophysical survey techniques
  • Geographic information systems
  • Data analysis and modelling
  • Remote sensing
  • Hydrogeology
  • Environmental impact assessment
  • Sample collection and analysis
  • Software proficiency, geophysical and modelling
  • Regulatory knowledge

Personal and Professional Skills

  • Analytical thinking
  • Attention to detail
  • Communication skills.
  • Critical thinking
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Adaptability
  • Project management
  • Leadership
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Creativity and innovation

Environmental employers look for professionals who can combine technical knowledge with soft skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or  take our Essential Skills courses.

Where to Work

As key executive leaders who shape their company’s sustainability policy, CSOs work in many different types of organizations. Common employers of CSOs include:

  • Municipal, regional, provincial or federal governments
  • First Nations, Métis and Inuit community organizations
  • Environmental professional or advocacy organizations
  • Large corporations that have incorporated sustainability into their core business activities
  • Utility companies
  • Natural resource extraction corporations, such as those in oil & gas, mining, and forestry


Search for jobs on the ECO Canada Job Board.

Education and Skills

Education

If you are a post-secondary student seeking a CSO role in the future, consider pursuing a university degree related to:

  • Business administration or management
  • Public administration
  • Organizational management
  • Social sciences
  • Law
  • Green business administration
  • Environmental studies

In addition to the educational fields mentioned above, you will also need extensive management experience to become a CSO, with well-developed human resources management and leadership skills. Consider educational seminars or post-graduate studies that will hone your analytical thinking, such as:

 

  • Organizational or administrative management
  • Environmental law
  • Public speaking
  • Finance or Accounting

Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.

Skills

Technical Skills

  • Environmental Law
  • Green business administration
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Human Resources Management
  • Public Administration
  • Public Speaking
  • Finance and Budgeting

Personal and Professional Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Superlative and creative problem-solving
  • Analytical skills.
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Attention to detail.
  • Presentation skills

Environmental employers seek professionals who combine technical knowledge with personal and professional skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or take our Essential Skills courses.

Role Models

Your Impact

A commercial diver plays a vital role in environmental conservation and sustainability. As a professional diver, they engage in underwater work crucial for numerous sectors, including oil and gas, marine engineering, and scientific research. This occupation involves underwater surveying, monitoring marine ecosystems, and participating in environmental restoration projects such as marine rehabilitation.

Commercial divers are often at the forefront of detecting and mitigating environmental hazards. For instance, in oil and gas operations, they inspect and repair pipelines and structures to prevent leaks that could be catastrophic for marine life. Their work installing renewable energy structures, like offshore wind turbines, significantly contributes to sustainable energy development.

Moreover, their role in salvage operations aids in removing hazardous materials like sunken vessels from aquatic environments, thus preserving marine biodiversity. Economically, they support industries that are pivotal to global economies while promoting environmental stewardship.

Socially, their work often intersects with educational and conservation efforts, raising awareness about the importance of preserving our underwater worlds. By balancing the demands of commercial industries with the need for environmental protection, commercial divers are inherently linked to sustainability, economic progress, and environmental responsibility.

Occupational Classification

Marine geologists are classified into the following occupational grouping:

NOC Code: 21102 – Geoscientists and oceanographers

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) provides a standardized language for describing the work performed by Canadians in the labour market. It gives statisticians, labour market analysts, career counsellors, employers, and individual job seekers a consistent way to collect data and describe and understand the nature of work within different occupations.

See ECO’s Blue National Occupational Standard for a career competency profile for a marine geologist that outlines the specific skills, knowledge, and behaviours required for individuals to perform effectively in this particular role. This profile is a benchmark for training and development, ensuring consistency and quality across professions within the blue economy.

Reconnaissance des terres

Dans un esprit de respect, de réciprocité et de vérité, nous honorons et reconnaissons Moh’kinsstis, le territoire traditionnel du Traité 7 et les pratiques orales de la confédération des Pieds-Noirs : Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, ainsi que les nations Îyâxe Nakoda et Tsuut’ina. Nous reconnaissons que ce territoire abrite la Nation métisse de l’Alberta, la région 3 au sein de la patrie historique des Métis du Nord-Ouest. Enfin, nous reconnaissons toutes les nations qui vivent, travaillent et se divertissent sur ce territoire, et qui l’honorent et le célèbrent.

Land Acknowledgment

In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we acknowledge that we live, work, and gather on the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, including the Blackfoot Confederacy—comprising the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani Nations—as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nations.

This land, known as Moh’kinsstis in the Blackfoot language and encompassing what is now Districts 5 and 6, is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3, within the historical Northwest Métis homeland.

We recognize and honour the deep connection these Nations have to the land, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share in its stewardship.

As we continue our work, we commit to learning from Indigenous knowledge systems, uplifting Indigenous voices, and fostering relationships rooted in equity, understanding, and reconciliation.

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