What are the age limitations of a welder-diver?

There is no age restriction on commercial welder-divers. There are, however, physical requirements. It is recommended and generally required that all commercial divers pass an annual dive physical. The commercial diving profession is physical demanding. It is rare to see an active commercial welder-diver over the age of 50.

What salary can I expect to make as a welder-diver?

We know some welder-divers earn $15,000 per year while others earn in excess of $100,000. Because the majority of welder-divers are paid on a project-by-project basis, salaries are subject to the same variables as work availability. In addition, other factors such as depth, dive method and diving environment affect pay rates. The company with whom you gain employment should be able to tell you the salary range you can expect to earn.  

What other skills are recommended to supplement my qualifications as a welder-diver?

Ideally, a diving contractor would like its welder-divers to be "a jack of all trades and a master of them all!" Practically speaking, possessing the skills that are common to underwater welding operations, in addition to welding and diving, are recommended. Primarily these skills are: underwater cutting (oxyfuel, abrasive water jet, mechanical cutting equipment, etc.); fitting and rigging; inspection and nondestructive testing (visual, magnetic particle, ultrasonics, radiography, eddy current, etc.); drafting; and underwater photography (still photo and video). The more skills the welderdiver maintains the more valuable he becomes in meeting project qualification requirements. The most desirable underwater welder-divers are those who are qualified to: assist the diving contractor in pre-job planning (e.g., having the ability to photograph/video, draft and report on work requirements prior to the actual underwater welding operation); cut, clean, rig, install, and fit up the sections they will weld; and work with personnel responsible for inspecting the completed welds. Formal training is recommended for whatever skills you wish to qualify for. Maintaining the qualifications you obtain is just as important as receiving them as there has been many a job lost to a welder-diver who has let his certification lapse.

What future career opportunities are there for an experienced welder-diver?

There are a number of career opportunities for experienced welderdivers. Many go on to become engineers, instructors, and diving operations supervisors, fill management positions, qualify as AWS Certified Welding Inspectors (CWI), and serve as consultants for underwater welding operations and other related fields. Ideally, a career as a welder-diver should serve as a stepping stone to other opportunities for those who choose the profession. Industry has and will continue to demand higher quality standards for underwater welds and more certification of underwater welding systems and personnel. 

 

After-reading activity

 

Continue filling in the following table:

 

Operations both surface welder-divers do	and	Operations only welder-divers do
weld setup and preparation, …		underwater cutting, …

 

Speaking

 

Correct the following statements to make them correspond to the text:

 

1. Welder-divers must have the skills of commercial diving but need not be certified.

2. The majority of work performed by an average welder-diver includes only welding operation itself.

3. Welder-divers apply for employment at commercial diving companies before their diver training is completed.

4. Commercial welder-diver is the same as scuba diver.

5. You cannot be a welder-diver if you are over 50 years old.

6. To possess commercial diving skills means to be able to do underwater weld procedures.

7. Welder-divers earn from $15,000 to $100,000 per year depending on their work experience.

8. To pass a physical examination for welder diver you need to go through formal training.

9. Past welding experience doesn’t count if you choose to be a welder-diver.

 

Answer the following questions:

 

1. Who can be a welder-diver?

2. What sorts of basic and supplementary skills must a welder-diver possess?

3. How can certified surface welders become welder-divers?

4. What is more important: receiving the welder-diver qualifications or maintaining them?

5. Why do commercial divers pass an annual dive physical? 

6. Do welder-divers have any future career opportunities?

7. Do you think surface welding equipment can be used underwater?

 

Translate the following sentences into Russian:

 

1. Большое количество людей проявляет интерес к профессии подводного сварщика.

2. Сварщик-подводник – это квалифицированный сварщик, обладающий всеми навыками, необходимыми для сварки на поверхности и под водой.

3. Перед зачислением в школу сварщиков-подводников кандидаты проходят обязательное медицинское освидетельствование.

4. Полезными навыками сварщиков-подводников являются: фото- и видеосъемка, создание чертежа, установка оснастки и др.

5. Для многих профессиональных сварщиков навыки подводной сварки становятся залогом дальнейшего карьерного роста. 

 

Think and say

 

1. The word combination taking the plunge is a set phrase (связанное фразеологическое сочетание). Is it a good title for this text? Why?

2. Another set phrase in the text is a stepping stone. What are possible stepping stones in your welding career?