Commercial Diving Academy is a commercial diving and underwater welding school specializing in underwater careers and welding jobs

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Our Programs

Air/Mixed Gas Commercial Diver

   Commercial Diving Academy offers the most comprehensive and
   rigorous commercial diving program that covers all the needed
   skill sets to succeed as a commercial diver.

   CDA trains new divers in a 20’ orientation tank where the
   instructors can watch the student through a viewing port. After four
   weeks of orientation in the training tanks, students move to
   open-water training on theTrout River, a low-visibility, swift-moving
   tidal waterway to continue their training. CDA is located on 2.5
   acres with over 500 feet of waterfront, a dive store, dormitory,
   cafeteria, library, 130’ x 30’ training barge, a 40 ton mobile crane,
   and multiple classrooms.

After three months of training in Jacksonville, students will travel to our Deep Water Training Center (DWTC) in Ocala, Florida.  Students will train at the DWTC for four weeks, where they will dive to depths of over 50m (165/ft). Surface-supplied diving at the DWTC will utilize advanced equipment including a Type I Dive Bell, Hot Water Machine and Advanced Video Displays to fulfill the training requirements for the Divers Certification Board of Canada (DCBC). Students must reside at the DWTC for this 4 week training period.  For those students who have chosen to live off campus during the training in Jacksonville, they will also be required to reside at the DWTC and will be billed for 4 weeks of dorms and the meal plan.


   Photo by Gene Page
 

This is the only commercial diving program in the United States to qualify students to receive certifications from ALL of the following:

• Unrestricted Surface Supplied Diving Certification from Diver Certification Board of Canada (DCBC) recognized by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) -- Allowing our graduates to work worldwide
   

• Commercial Diving Certification from Association of Commercial Diving Educators (ACDE) -- Recognized as suitable basic training by IMCA
   

• Commercial Diving Certification from Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) -- Allowing our graduates to work anywhere that the ADCI regulates diving operations
   
  

• Topside Welding from American Welding Society (AWS):  -- These qualifications provide the foundation necessary to weld underwater and require additional time.  See below for details.*
  
  

• Certificate of successful completion of Underwater Welding from CDA  -- An additional qualification provides the skills necessary to weld underwater.  See below for details.**
   

• First Aid, CPR & AED, & O2 Provider Training (includes Oxygen First Aid, AED use, First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life, CPR First Aid and Blood-Bone Pathogens) -- Required for all employees in the industry
  
  

• HazMat/Hazwoper from OSHA -- Required for all employees in the industry
   

• NDT for Magnetic Particle and Ultrasonic Thickness, RP-2D Rigging, and Offshore Survival from American Petroleum Institute (API) -- These basic skills ensure a well-rounded diver
  
  

  *The following certifications require additional lab work (time spent during weeknights) and successful completion of the academic and practical portions of the Topside Welding course.  CDA students can qualify for the AWS Certificate of Completion-Certified AWS Entry Level Welder, AWS Entry Level Welder Certification Card, Name added to nationally searchable AWS database, and Certificate of successful completion of Topside Welding for Commercial Divers from CDA.
  
  **The following certification requires successful completion of the practical portion of the Underwater Welding course to receive the Underwater Welding Qualification for Class C fillet weld to AWS D3.6M 2010.
  
  
  

  

Outline:

 

 

 

   I.     Diving Physics
II.    Diving Physiology, Decompression, & Emergency  
       Management Procedures
III.   Diving Equipment, Systems, & Procedures
IV.   Practical Use of Diving Equipment
V.    Diving Hazards & Legislation
VI.   Diver Communication Systems
VII.  Rigging
VIII. Underwater Inspections & Searches
IX.   Hand & Power Tools
X.    Water Jetting, Airlifts, Venturi Dredges, & Lift Bags
XI.   Cutting & Welding Equipment
XII.  Underwater Explosives
XIII. Underwater Construction Techniques
XIV. Hyperbaric Chamber Operations   

 

 

Length of Course

The program of Study at Commercial Diving Academy requires a minimum of 20 weeks. The maximum number of weeks a student may participate in training is 30 weeks.

Practical Experience Hours 500
Classroom Hours  344

Total Hours 844

Number of Weeks 20
Hours per Day 9

 

Click here to view Gainful Employment Disclosures for the 2009-2010 Award Year for the Air/Mixed Gas Commercial Diving Program.  Click here to view Gainful Employment Disclosures for the 2010-2011 Award Year for the Air/Mixed Gas Commercial Diving Program.