Take your diving career to the next level with the Surface Supplied Inshore Air Diver (Level 2) course
from Commercial Divers Academy (CDA). This advanced program trains you to operate and evaluate surface-supplied air equipment and perform a wide range of inshore and shoreline commercial diving tasks safely and professionally to a maximum operational depth of 30 meters. If you’re serious about turning diving into a global, high-skill career, CDA gives you the technical expertise, real-world practice, and industry-recognized certification employers look for.
Why this course matters
Surface-supplied diving is the backbone of many commercial underwater operations — it extends bottom time, improves communication and control, and enables more complex tasks than standard SCUBA. Level 2 divers are prepared to work in demanding environments with a wider toolkit: from powered tools and thermal cutting to chamber procedures and complex rigging. Employers in ports, construction, salvage, energy, and environmental sectors actively seek divers with this level of training because you bring immediate, practical value to operations.
What you’ll learn — practical, job-ready skills
Over an intensive five-week program, CDA blends classroom theory with pool drills, supervised open-water work, and scenario-based exercises. You’ll train in multiple roles — as a diver, tender/assistant, and life-support operator — building the situational awareness and teamwork required on professional jobsites.
Core competencies
- Safe operation and pre-dive evaluation of surface-supplied air systems, umbilicals, helmets and full-face masks.
- Rigging and use of lift bags, basic salvage and recovery techniques.
- Operation of electric and pneumatic hand tools for cutting, grinding and maintenance.
- Thermal arc cutting and practical methods for controlled cutting/wreck removal.
- Wet welding fundamentals (theory & supervised practice) and understanding when dry procedures are required.
- Basic hyperbaric chamber operations and emergency procedures; diver decompression monitoring.
- Underwater construction basics: placement, inspection and simple repairs.
- Introduction to bolt guns, controlled explosive charges awareness (theory and safety), and contaminated-water protocols.
- Advanced search, recovery and diver-rescue techniques in low-visibility or polluted environments.
Training format
- Theoretical modules: diving physiology, decompression theory, surface-supply systems, hazard management and risk assessments.
- Wet training: pool and inshore open-water drills to master helmet/hood skills, umbilical handling and tool use.
- Practical scenarios: simulated work tasks—cutting, lifting, visual inspections, chamber drills and emergency responses.
- Assessments: written exams and hands-on evaluations to verify competency and readiness for commercial work.
Prerequisites — who can apply
To ensure safety and success, applicants must satisfy the following prerequisites:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Hold a Commercial SCUBA Diver (Level 1) certification — ideally issued by a recognised training body or CDA.
- Be in excellent physical condition with strong swimming and rescue capability: surface endurance, timed swims, underwater swim distances,
and the ability to perform a full unconscious-diver rescue within the specified time limits. - Have a current medical clearance from a hyperbaric/diving physician confirming fitness to dive.
Career pathways — where this certification can take you
Graduates emerging from CDA’s Surface Supplied Inshore Air Diver Level 2 program are immediately more employable across commercial,
industrial and governmental roles. Below are typical positions and sectors that actively recruit divers with this qualification.
Commercial marine construction & infrastructure
- Underwater construction assistant — piers, bridge foundations, and coastal defences.
- Maintenance diver for ports and harbors — inspection, repairs, and installation of fenders, moorings and seabed anchors.
Inspection, survey & asset integrity
- Underwater inspector for hulls, pipelines, and subsea installations (visual inspection, basic NDT support).
- Inspection support diver for offshore wind foundations and marine renewable infrastructure.
Salvage, recovery & rigging
- Salvage diver — assisting recovery operations using lift systems and salvage techniques.
- Search and recovery specialist for commercial salvage firms and insurance-related operations.
Energy & utilities
- Support diver for nearshore oil & gas maintenance and inspection tasks.
- Pipelines and subsea cable maintenance assistant.
Environmental, scientific & aquaculture support
- Environmental survey diver — sample collection and habitat surveys in coordination with marine scientists.
- Aquaculture operations — installation and maintenance of cages, nets and moorings.
Public safety & specialist roles
- Support roles for emergency response teams, port authorities, and salvage squads.
- Baseline for progression into more specialized fields: wet welding technician, hyperbaric attendant, or ROV operator support (with additional training).
What sets CDA apart
At Commercial Divers Academy, we combine modern facilities, experienced instructors from the industry, and training scenarios
designed around the real demands of employers. Our certifications are held in high regard because we emphasise safe, repeatable
processes and practical skill — not just academic theory. Graduates leave ready to contribute on day one.
Course duration, certification & next steps
The Level 2 program runs for approximately five intensive weeks. Successful completion of theoretical modules, practical assessments and written exams leads to the award of the Surface Supplied Inshore Air Diver (Level 2) certificate
from Commercial Divers Academy (CDA), recognised by international employers and commercial diving contractors.
Ready to advance your career?
If you’re committed, fit, and already hold a Level 1 commercial SCUBA qualification, this Level 2 course is the logical and highly rewarding next step. Join CDA and become the kind of professional diver companies seek for complex, higher-paying inshore operations.
Contact Commercial Divers Academy (CDA) today to reserve your place, learn about upcoming course dates, financing options, and the pathways for specialist follow-on training such as wet welding, hyperbaric chamber operations and offshore certification tracks.