ADAS understands that there are many competent divers out in the workforce who are not ADAS certified and functioning quite happily. Those divers, for whatever reason (e.g. to comply with the law regarding construction diving, to improve their employment chances, etc) may at some point decide that they want an ADAS certificate. These divers may have been diving for years and have hundreds of dives under their belt and maybe thousands of hours in the water. For these reasons, ADAS has developed a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system which takes a divers previous training and experience into consideration.
Divers in these circumstances are not able to automatically receive an ADAS certification without going through the RPL process because:
ADAS has, in conjunction with its national industry advisors and its international partner certification organisations, put together a highly developed set of Diver Competence Standards. These standards cover all aspects of diver safety and basic procedures for each level of certification. ADAS is committed, through its agreements with its partners, to ensuring that each and every diver who receives an ADAS certificate has been assessed against those standards – whether by ADAS or one of its international partners.
There are a range of procedures in use throughout the industry, some good, some bad, some just different. ADAS is totally committed to ensuring that its standards are set at the level of world best practice and to continuously reviewing and improving those standards wherever possible. With a number of Accredited Training Establishments (ATEs) accredited to train ADAS divers, ADAS has developed a strict set of standard procedures which the ATEs must use to ensure consistency across the range of those schools. Every ADAS graduate should have the same set of base skills and knowledge for a given course. This is particularly important in the area of standby diver drills, diver rescue, and accident and emergency management. ADAS needs to ensure, for quality control, standardisation and liability reasons, that every diver that possesses an ADAS certificate has been assessed against this range of skills and knowledge.
ALL divers applying for ADAS certification MUST undertake a full practical and theory assessment of their skills and knowledge against the nominated ADAS Diver Competency Standards for that ADAS qualification. The only exception to this rule is for those divers crossing-over from an organisation with whom ADAS has a formal reciprocal recognition agreement (e.g. the UK Health and Safety Executive, the Diver Certification Board of Canada, etc). More information about crossing-over can be found on the International and Military Equivalents page of the website.
Work internationally as a qualified commercial diver with an internationally accepted ADAS qualification
Highly experienced construction divers who currently hold no accepted diving ticket! The RPL and RPL-EC pathways are for students who already have experience working as a commercial diver but do not hold an ADAS equivalent or recognised qualification. These courses recognise your prior experience, and give you further training or assessment of competency to then award you with an ADAS qualification.
At least 18 years old
- Divers must be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of training.
Dive Requirements
- To be eligible for The RPL and RPL-EC course, you must demonstrate with verifiable evidence that you are qualified and experienced enough for recognition. This includes providing evidence of sufficient minimum dives and bottom time. When you enrol, CDA will provide you with an RPL/RPL-EC dive matrix which you must complete. Please note that we will need a sample of dive logs to be scanned and sent to us as part of the process to verify your eligibility for the course.
Current Commercial Dive Medical
- Before we can allow anyone to dive, they must hold an occupational dive medical compliant to the Australian Standard (AS) 2299.1.
- The doctor who assesses you for medical fitness is required to be trained in hyperbaric medicine and certified as an occupational diving doctor.
- You can find dive doctors using the SPUMS website: https://www.spums.org.au/
Current First Aid, CPR and Advanced Oxygen Resuscitation certificates
- To meet the AS/NZS 2299.1 and ADAS requirements anyone who joins a course at CDA, or any other ADAS school is required to have a current first aid, 02 provider and CPR certification.
- In general if the card has First Aid on it, and the course was about a day long, it is likely this will be accepted. Though if you are not sure if your First Aid ticket is accepted, you can contact us any time to find out.
- If you are completing your First Aid, CPR or O2 course in Australia, you can check if the units are acceptable by checking this table.
Tasmania
FAQs
The information you want to know
- The qualification obtained will depend on what ADAS level you are attaining.
- For ADAS Part 1, refer to this page.
- For ADAS Part 2, refer to this page.
- For ADAS Part 3, refer to this page.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) recognises a lesser level of experience than Recognition of Prior Learning – Exceptional Circumstances (RPL– EC). It gives credit of up to two weeks per level against the usual 4-week training process for each of ADAS Part 1, 2 and 3. An experienced diver could complete ADAS Part 3 in 6 weeks (half the usual time). Depending on depths and the type of air delivery system used, two years commercial diving experience is a useful rule of thumb to qualify for some RPL, although this can vary depending on each individual’s diving experience and circumstances.
Prior Learning – Exceptional Circumstances (RPL– EC) is an assessment only programme of three weeks (to ADAS Part 3). It requires experience of at least five years as a commercial diver and the diver needs to be able to show a wide range of tools use and exposure to a range of diving work and situations. The diver needs to be very experienced up to the depth they wish to gain accreditation for. The course is one week per level and as such is only two weeks for an ADAS Part 2 trainee.
No, course fees exclude accommodation and food, these are your responsibility. We are more than happy to provide you with a list of local accommodation providers.
For our courses on Orpheus Island, accommodation is an additional cost but is available at Orpheus Island Research Station for a fixed fee per course.
Yes, we offer a pickup on the first day only for courses in Tasmania. Pick up can be either from Launceston Airport or from your accommodation in Launceston city if you arrive earlier. Please note that we do not offer daily transport during the course.
We cannot assist with visa applications, if you do need assistance we suggest contacting a visa agent in your home country. We can provide an acceptance letter once you have paid a deposit and secured a place on a course.
By Completing our ADAS Course Package in 2024!
The fastest pathway to becoming a commercial diver qualified to earn the big bucks, is by obtaining an ADAS Part 3 Certificate.
CDA is currently offering a combo deal for its ADAS Part 1, 2 & 3 Courses when taken together. If this is of interest to you please contact CDA today as spots are limited.
ADAS Part 1
SCUBA to 30M
- Introduction to SCUBA and light tools
- Work opportunities as a scientific diver
- Work opportunities as police divers
- Pre-requisite for construction diving courses
Price $8,500 AU
ADAS Part 2
SSBA to 30M
- Introduction to Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus (SSBA)
- The base for underwater construction activities
- Great option for Aquaculture divers
- Underwater Welding
Price $8,500 AU
ADAS Part 3
SSBA to 50M
- Enables divers to work offshore
- Accepted by IMCA
- Must have for international and offshore Oil and Gas
- Crossover with HSE, INPP DCBC, PSA, NDC and DOL
