In this article, we look at some of the best underwater welding schools in Florida. If you have any plans to start a career in the marine industry and you are about to round up high school, then this list will be very beneficial to you.
Florida has good employment prospects for underwater welders, there are lots of industries that are looking to hire underwater welders, these industries include salvage & recovery, dam & levee repair, shipbuilding, bridge & tunnel construction, marine construction, offshore oil & gas, etc. The demand for underwater welders is expected to grow as these industries grow.
The average salary for underwater welders in Florida is around $53,990 per annum. This varies based on your level of experience, skill, the industry you work in, and the company you are working for. Underwater welders in the offshore and gas industry earn more than those who work in other industries.
Areas You’ll Cover in Underwater Welding Schools in Florida
There are a lot of topics that are covered in underwater welding schools, ranging from diving to welding.
This section gives you an overview of what to expect from underwater welding schools in Florida.
- Welding Techniques
Under this topic, you will be introduced to welding processes like wet welding (shielded metal arc welding) and hyperbaric welding (dry welding), electrode selection and preparation, welding equipment operation and maintenance, and how to weld in various positions and orientations underwater.
- Diving Skills and Safety
Under this topic, you will learn scuba diving techniques and equipment operation, decompression theory and procedures, and diver safety protocols and emergency procedures.
- Dive Planning and Operations
Under this topic, you will cover areas like communication methods underwater, pre-dive checks and procedures, dive planning and logistics, and surface-suppled diving techniques.
Recommended: 6 Top Environmental Issues in Florida & 4 Solutions
- Underwater Welding Procedures
Under this topic, you cover areas like preventing and addressing underwater welding defects, how to control heat input and minimizing distortion, how to weld in confined spaces and challenging environments, and how to work with different metals and materials.
- Underwater Tools and Equipment
Under this topic, you will learn maintenance and care of diving and welding equipment and you will learn how to properly use underwater tools such as cutting torches, grinders, and hydraulic tools.
- Diver Medical Training
Under this topic, you will cover a basic understanding of diving-related medical issues and how to recognize and respond to decompression sickness and other diving-related injuries.
- Diving Regulations and Compliance
Under this topic, you will cover legal and ethical considerations of welding and diving work and industry standards and regulations relating to the job.
- Inspection and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
Under this topic, you will cover areas like visual inspection techniques for welded joints and NDT methods like ultrasonic testing and magnetic particle inspection.
- Project Management and Documentation
Under this topic, you will cover project planning and execution, and reporting and documenting work performed.
- Practical Training
This involves all hands-on practice that you will carry out in underwater simulations or in actual underwater environments.
Recommended: 12 Top Pros and Cons of Solar Panels in Florida
Admission Requirements to Underwater Welding Schools in Florida
Each school has its own unique set of requirements that they have for those seeking admission, so it is important that you visit the website of any school you are interested in to study their requirements.
This section gives you a general requirement list that most schools ask for.
- Background check
- Drug test
- Physical exam
- Swimming ability
- Must be 18 years old at least.
- High school diploma or GED
The List of Underwater Welding Schools in Florida
Below are some of the best underwater welding schools in Florida. Links and contact information have been made available for each school.
CDA Technical Institute (Commercial Diving Academy)
At CDA, they have an unmatched job placement rate for underwater welders, saturation divers, underwater photographers, salvage divers, research divers, and aquaculture divers, demonstrating their commitment to turning ideas into reality.
They are the only dive academy that can boast a 100 percent job placement rate across all our diving courses.
Website: https://www.commercialdiveacademy.com/
Contact: +61 3 6383 4844
Recommended: 8 ACCRED Best Online Law Schools in Florida
Commercial Diving Technologies Institute
Commercial Diving Technologies Institute, LLC is a post-secondary vocational school created to offer entry-level and post-graduate individuals to the commercial diving, recreational diving, and maritime industries who excel in knowledge, skills, safety, and work ethics.
Their instruction is in-depth, demanding, and tailored to each student’s unique professional ambitions, aptitudes, and interests.
Commercial Diving Technologies Institute LLC has been developed by a skilled and dedicated team of working divers and dive supervisors with over a century of combined experience in the commercial diving industry.
Website: https://cdtdiving.com/
Contact: cdtdivingfl@gmail.com
Tulsa Welding School
Training is available in the following programs at Tulsa Welding School’s Jacksonville, Florida, campus: Professional Welder, Professional Welder with Pipefitting, Professional Welder with Shipfitting and Metal Fabrication, Electro-Mechanical Technologies, Refrigeration Technologies, and Electrical Applications.
The most populous city in Florida is Jacksonville, which has a ton to do all year round and beautiful weather. Orange Park, Atlantic Beach, and Neptune Beach can all be reached easily from the campus through Beach Blvd (Highway 90). Tampa and Orlando are reachable by car.
Website: https://www.tws.edu/campus/jacksonville/
Contact: (855) 237-7711
Recommended: 23 Best Music Production Schools in Florida
Southeastern Welding School
The founders of Southeastern Welding School have a lengthy history as managers of significant welding enterprises. After observing a dearth of skilled welders seeking opportunities, they made the decision to start the school with the basic principle of providing a high-quality education at an affordable cost.
They have mastered the skills and techniques required to teach people to weld with quality, pride, and confidence. They are veteran welders with more than 18 years of on-the-job welding experience as well as Welding Supervisory experience.
Website: https://southeasternweldingschool.com/
Contact: (904) 781-8701
Recommended: 11 Best Marine Mechanic Schools in Florida: Rqmts & Tuition
TDI SDI ERDI
The trio of training organizations Scuba Diving International (SDI), Technical Diving International (TDI), and Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI) has grown from its modest beginning in 1994 to become one of the biggest diving certification organizations in the world – International Training.
With 26 Regional Offices servicing more than 100 countries, the company today far exceeds the original vision the founders had when they conceived the idea on a napkin, sitting at a kitchen table in the early 1990s.
Website: https://www.tdisdi.com/
Contact: +1-888-778-9073
FAQs
- How much does a welding school cost in Florida?
The vocational program for welders and welding technology is offered by 25 universities in Florida.
For the academic year 2022-2023, the average tuition cost of the Welding Technology/Welder career program at Florida trade schools/technical colleges is $6,532, and the average books & supplies costs are $709.
- How long is welding school in Florida?
The welding curriculum at UTI was created in association with Lincoln Electric, a preeminent company in the sector, and is intended to be completed in 36 weeks.
That’s a little under nine months to master practical business skills and graduate!
- What is the highest-paid welding job?
Industrial construction has the welder employment with the highest salaries.
The highest-paid welding positions are pipe welders, tube welders, rig welders, underwater welders, and combo welders.
Both the welding process and the sector are crucial. In industrial construction, the highest welder salaries can reach over $200,000.
- Do you need to be certified as a welder in Florida?
Technically, a welder would not legally require any certificates in order to start working because there is no state registration requirement for welders in Florida.
However, a lot of qualified welders opt to pursue certification through a recognized organization, like the American Welding Society (AWS).
- How long do underwater welders live?
Underwater welders have a significantly short life expectancy due to the significant risks involved in their line of work.
Past studies have discovered that the average age of an underwater welder is 35 to 40 years old.
