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Commercial Diving

Commercially trained surface supplied hard hat divers are referred to by many as underwater welders. Here at the Holland College Marine Training Center underwater welding is our specialty and we also train our underwater welders to perform all the other commercial diving techniques required of a person employed in this exciting career.

This full time 36 week commercial diver training program at Holland College’s Marine Training Centre in Summerside, Prince Edward Island is designed to train successful candidates for employment in the exciting world of commercial diving. Some of the skills our students master include underwater welding, burning, construction, inspection, maintenance, and repair technologies.

Our graduates receive the Divers Certification Board of Canada (DCBC) unrestricted surface supplied diver certificate.

This certificate is internationally recognized by:

International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA)
Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI)
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the United Kingdom
Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme (ADAS) in Australia

In Canada the DCBC is the only national body that certifies occupational divers and is also recognized by National Energy Board of Canada (NEB), Canada Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB), and Canada Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board (CNOPB).

Other certificates our graduates receive are, ADCI (Entry level Diver/Tender), MED A1, CPR, First Aid, Oxygen administration, and WHMIS.

We are proud of the fact that we graduate commercial divers with all the skills and certificates required for immediate employment in virtually any jurisdiction in the world.

To qualify for graduation and the DCBC certificate our students will dive the latest commercial equipment available and experience 4 different sites down to a maximum air diving depth of 50 meters. These greater depths are logged during our deep dive field trip to Halifax Nova Scotia’s historic Bedford Basin. At this site our students live onboard an offshore dive vessel and will dive an IMCA certified offshore dive spread using a wet bell system for up to 10 days training. This unique module provides our students real offshore dive training on equipment, systems, and procedures that are a standard in the offshore oil and gas diving industries.

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Courses

List of Courses

Commercial Diving Courses

print full list with descriptions

Take the following course(s), minimum grade: Pass

Diving Practicum I

This course provides students with the opportunity to apply their diving skills. Students will demonstrate that they are able to dive safely and competently using different types of surface-supplied diving equipment in open water of varying bottom conditions, water visibility, and depths to 15 M.

Hours: 45
Course Code: COMDIVI-1088
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1088 Diving Practicum I
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Diving Practicum II

This course is the student's deep diving practical. It includes competencies studied and practiced throughout the program. The course outcomes include a requirement of accumulated bottom time hours, the 2-week offshore deep dive practical, hot water suit, surface decompression, wet bell, and offshore dive system.

Hours: 25
Course Code: COMDIVI-1090
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1090 Diving Practicum II
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Diver Fitness

In this course students will learn to assess their fitness level and techniques for improving it. The goal of this course is physical conditioning and health awareness through nutrition, lifestyle and exercise. This course includes the daily 3-mile run. The purpose is to assess the divers fitness to dive each day, improve cardiovascular fitness, and team building. The ultimate goal is for students to successfully complete the Assessment of Diver Physical Tolerance (ADPT).

Hours: 45
Course Code: COMDIVI-1095
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1095 Diver Fitness
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Workplace Health and Safety

Students will be certified to administer: First Aid, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Oxygen Administration and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS).

Hours: 20
Course Code: COMDIVI-1098
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1098 Workplace Health and Safety
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Take the following course(s), minimum grade: 75%

Diving Physics

This course is an examination of the physical laws required by the unrestricted surface-supplied diver. Topics include units of measure, pressure change, the properties of gases and liquids, and air consumption. Emphasis is placed on calculations involving the application of these physical laws.

Hours: 30
Course Code: COMDIVI-1000
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1000 Diving Physics
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Diving Equipment

The student shall be competent in the proper set-up, operation, inspection, and maintenance of various types of personal diver carried, Unrestricted Surface Supplied Diving equipment.

Hours: 45
Course Code: COMDIVI-1005
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1005 Diving Equipment
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Diving Procedures

This course describes the interdependence between the responsibilities and roles of each dive team member. Topics include personnel duties, manual communications, radio protocol, safety management plan, hazard analysis, and job safety analysis.

Hours: 30
Course Code: COMDIVI-1010
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1010 Diving Procedures
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Diving Physiology

In this course students will learn about the anatomy and physiology of the human body as it relates to the effects of hyperbaric exposure. Emphasis will be placed on the functioning of the respiratory, circulatory, and central nervous systems. Students will be able to explain and apply their knowledge of physiology of thermal balance, the uptake, distribution, and elimination of gases by the body, and the toxic effects of gases on the body.

Hours: 45
Course Code: COMDIVI-1015
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1015 Diving Physiology
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Diving Systems

In this course students will study the operation, maintenance, and documentation of the life support systems used in a surface supplied diving operation.

Hours: 60
Course Code: COMDIVI-1020
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1020 Diving Systems
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Hand and Power Tools

In this course students shall gain a basic understanding of the function, operation, safety requirements and maintenance of hand tools, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic activated tools.

Hours: 60
Course Code: COMDIVI-1025
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1025 Hand and Power Tools
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Rigging

In this course students will learn the safety, principles, and operation of rigging equipment. Students will be able to demonstrate the use of rigging equipment used both on the surface and underwater in support of diving related operations.

Hours: 45
Course Code: COMDIVI-1030
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1030 Rigging
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Surface Cutting and Welding

In this course students will learn how to set up and maintain oxy-fuel cutting equipment as well as the safety concerns, set-up and uses of the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) process. Hands-on practical experience is the basis of this course.

Hours: 30
Course Code: COMDIVI-1035
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1035 Surface Cutting and Welding
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Decompression

In this course students will explore the principles of compression and decompression. Concepts included in this course are the implications for routine operations, emergencies, and therapeutic recompression. Students will be able to apply the Defense and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine (DCIEM) air diving tables and US Navy treatment tables as well as other proprietary decompression tables in common use.

Hours: 45
Course Code: COMDIVI-1040
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1040 Decompression
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Hazards and Legislation

In this course students will learn to apply federal and provincial Occupational Health and Safety legislation, standards, regulations, and guidelines pertinent to surface-supplied diving operations, diving plant, and equipment. Students will learn of the hazards involved in commercial diving operations and strategies used to minimize these hazards.

Hours: 60
Course Code: COMDIVI-1045
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1045 Hazards and Legislation
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Underwater Inspection and Measurement

This course is meant to introduce the dive student to practices and principles of inspection. Topics include: personnel requirements, need for inspection, basic terminology, modes of failure, inspection techniques, documentation, record keeping, communication and written procedures.

Hours: 60
Course Code: COMDIVI-1050
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1050 Underwater Inspection and Measurement
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Communications and Report Writing

In this course, students will learn to effectively demonstrate oral and written communication skills in the workplace. Focus will be placed on report writing, making presentations and resume writing.

Hours: 30
Course Code: COMDIVI-1055
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1055 Communications and Report Writing
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Seamanship

In this course students will learn chart plotting, distance and position calculations, tide table calculations, weather systems, global positioning system operation, and operation of a VHF radio.

Hours: 30
Course Code: COMDIVI-1060
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1060 Seamanship
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Hyperbaric Chamber Operation

In this course students will become skilled hyperbaric chamber operators. In addition, students will be able to perform surface decompression procedures, and diving ailment treatment protocols using therapeutic treatment tables.

Hours: 90
Course Code: COMDIVI-1065
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1065 Hyperbaric Chamber Operation
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Inshore Construction Techniques

In this course students will learn the elementary principles and procedures involved in salvage and inshore construction commonly used in diving. Topics include marine construction, wharves, bridges, ships, barges, dams, pipelines and marine cables.

Hours: 45
Course Code: COMDIVI-1070
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1070 Inshore Construction Techniques
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Offshore Construction Techniques

This course is designed to prepare students for diving projects in the offshore oil and gas industries. This course also explores the use of explosives in the under water environment.

Hours: 60
Course Code: COMDIVI-1075
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1075 Offshore Construction Techniques
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Marine Emergency Duties A1

Hours: 30
Course Code: COMDIVI-1080

Optional courses

Non-Destructive Testing

In this course students will gain an introductory understanding of the practices and principles involved with various non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques. Techniques to be studied include: ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle testing, and metallurgical analysis.

Hours: 40
Course Code: COMDIVI-1085
Detailed Course Outline: COMDIVI-1085 Non-Destructive Testing
Academic Year: 2011-2012

Program Facts
Start Date:	September
Length:	9 months
Location:	Marine Centre, Summerside
Credential Issued:	Certificate, Unrestricted Surface Supplied Diver

Graduate Opportunities

Harbour infrastructure - inspection, maintenance, underwater welding and repair
Deep water drilling platforms - inspection, maintenance,and repair
Oil and gas pipelines infrastructure - inspection, maintenance,and repair
Shipbuilding and ship repair underwater welding/burning
Bridge inspection, maintenance,underwater welding/burning and repair
Police Departments, investigation search and recovery
Fire Dept.Search and rescue
Parks Canada, Underwater Archeology
Canadian military
Scientific Diving
Sea food harvesting and aquaculture
Developing countries building 'first time' infrastructure
Quality control and quality auditing companies
Non-destructive testing companies
US Federal Student Aid - Gainful Employment Disclosure

Admission Requirements

Grade 12 or equivalent with credits at or above the general level with credits in Grade 11 and/or 12 math and English. (60% and over is preferred)
Open Water Scuba Diving Certificate
Full commercial diving medical from an approved Hyperbaric physician prior to the first day of class
Preference given to applicants with a physics credit
Resumé including work and volunteer experience with applicable dates, membership in groups, associations or athletics, awards and distinctions, and any other information about yourself relevant to the program.

Please note: This program includes a daily 3-mile run. The purpose is to assess the divers fitness to dive each day, improve cardiovascular fitness, and team building.

Medical Form

The medical form has been provided "with the permission of Canadian Standards Association, material is reproduced from CSA Standard Z275.2-04, Occupational Safety Code for Diving Operations, which is copyrighted by Canadian Standards Association, 178 Rexdale Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M9W 1R3. While use of this material has been authorized, CSA shall not be responsible for the manner in which the information is presented, nor for any interpretations thereof".

For more information on CSA or to purchase standards please visit our website at www.shopcsa.ca or call 1-800-463-6727.

To view medical - click here.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition
Year 1	$13,600
View a full breakdown of costs and booklist for this program.

Approved Diving and Hyperbaric Physicians

http://www.divercertification.com

NOTE: Unless approval is sought, the program will only accept medicals performed by one of the above listed physicians.

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Contact

If you have any questions concerning the program, contact:

Stephen White
General Inquiries: (902) 888-6485

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