To become a diver you must:

• be at least 18 years old
• get a medical clearance certificate from the Diving Hyperbaric Medicine Service
• have a Recreational Open Water ticket from an approved provider
• complete an Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme (ADAS) course and be issued with a certificate of competence from the Department of Labour.

Police divers must be police officers, and scientific divers need to have a science qualification.

There are no specific secondary educational requirements, but maths, physics and workshop technology are useful.

Specific training is often provided by the particular sector the diver is working in. For example, police divers must complete the probation period after graduation, then attend a one-month course at the Navy diving school.

Ongoing training is also provided, including seminars on first aid, health and safety, and the use of specialised equipment.

Useful experience for divers includes:

• building industry work
• engineering, fitting and welding work
• scientific work such as marine biology or oceanography
• photography and camera work
• work on boats or in the boating industry
• police work
• teaching
• retail and customer service work.