Introduction

In the bustling and dynamic field of commercial diving, competition has always
been fierce. In this industry you are not paid to just dive; you must be
well-versed in state-of-the-art theory and hands-on knowledge about specific aspects of underwater work. In this new millennium, underwater careers will become even more demanding. Contractors will expect their divers to be superbly trained and have highly
honed skills in various specialties. 

To take advantage of the ever-expanding job opportunities in the professional diving industry, you must be adequately prepared. Extensive training, experience and skills afford professional divers the greatest number of options. In addition, the financial rewards are directly proportionate to your willingness to learn and grow within the industry. Nowhere can you
better acquire these skills than at the College of Oceaneering. 

College of Oceaneering prepares you for both underwater and topside vocations. All three disciplines that the college offers, MedtechTM - SpectechTM - WeldtechTM, include topside training. This gives our graduating students an advantage when entering the job market. For instance, a contractor requires a diving specialist to perform non-destructive testing. A College
of Oceaneering graduate would not only be able to perform the underwater test; they would also be equipped to analyze the results.

The College of Oceaneering was established in 1967 as the Commercial Diving Center (CDC).  In 1981, it was purchased by Oceaneering International an renamed College of Oceaneering (COO). In 1995 John Schwitters and Alek Haidos teamed-up to purchase the college. Prior to acquiring the college, John was an engineer with worldwide experience in running international companies; Alek was a 35-year veteran with the Los Angeles Unified School District.  From an initial class of six students, College of Oceaneering has grown to enroll over 350 students per year. It is fully accredited by the Association of commercial Diving Educators (ACDE) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). WASC is the Regional Accrediting Agency for the United States Department of Education. That agency is responsible for accrediting all two and four year colleges and universities in the western region of the United States. Students who have completed thirty General Education credits at an accredited college can earn an Associate of Science Degree in Marine Technology. The graduates have up to ten years after graduation to earn those credits.

The College of Oceaneering has successfully trained over 7,000 entry-level professionals to work in the diving and related industries over the years and is committed to produce the most qualified entry-level Underwater Welders (Weldtechs), Underwater Inspectors (Spectechs), and Emergency Medical Technician Divers (Medtechs). 

College of Oceaneering has led the way in introducing technical innovations and techniques to the science of commercial diving and related industries training. 

The training programs include  a surface supplied air diving course, plus one
of three specialties: Medtech, Spectech and Weldtech. 

The Faculty

The College of Oceaneering faculty have learned their profession and perfected their skills at commercial dive projects located throughout the world. They have worked on inland dives, off shore oil rigs, rivers, lakes, dams, caves, sunken salvage dives and contaminated waters. Some have pioneered innovations to make commercial diving safer and more enjoyable. Students cannot get enough of the fascinating dive stories that are told by our faculty members. 

Because they are consummate professionals, College of Oceaneering faculty share a deep concern for the commercial diving industry, the safety of the divers, for the reputation of the college and for you as the individual. They will challenge you to thrive on the high flowing adrenaline that most people will never experience. You will learn to trust your life to your teammate, and they will trust their life with you. Due to your training by our faculty, you will graduate with more camaraderie with your fellow graduates that you ever thought possible. 

For any further information please contact:

College of Oceaneering
World Port of Los Angeles
800-432-DIVE (within the U.S. and Canada) or 
310-834-2501 {worldwide).

Email: [email protected]