Underwater welding courses for HSE-qualified divers
Most divers searching for an underwater welding course are already qualified divers. The question is rarely how to start from zero — it is whether your certificate gets you in, and what exactly you walk away with. This page answers both for divers holding an HSE, ADAS or DCBC qualification rather than a Dutch one.
Two qualifications, not one
“Underwater welder” is not a single certificate. It is a diving qualification and a welding qualification, held together. Your diving certificate says you may work underwater; the welder qualification (LK) says you may weld to a given standard, under stated conditions. A welding course adds the second to the first — it does not replace or upgrade your diving certificate.
That distinction matters when you compare programmes. A course that trains welding technique without ending in a formally tested, independently assessed qualification leaves you with skill but no document a client can accept.
Does an HSE certificate get you in?
Admission requires a recognised professional diving certificate. Under the Dutch scheme that means B30 (surface-supplied to 30 metres), B50R (to 50 metres without a wet bell) or B50 (to 50 metres). If you hold an HSE, ADAS, DCBC or other national qualification, send it in before you book: we assess whether the training, experience and competences meet the admission requirements of the programme, individually and in advance.
Be aware of the limit of that assessment. It establishes whether you can be admitted to the programme. Any formal recognition or equivalence of your diving certificate itself remains subject to the applicable Dutch rules and competent authorities — an admission decision is not a conversion of your certificate.
You will also need a valid occupational diving medical, and basic welding experience is recommended for the shorter track.
What you actually qualify for
The qualification tests are carried out to EN ISO 15618-1 — the internationally applied qualification standard for underwater welders welding steel in a hyperbaric wet environment — or to AWS D3.6M, and are independently conducted under DNV oversight.
Two things about that qualification are easy to overlook. First, it is tied to the conditions and variables under which you were tested, and water depth with its corresponding ambient pressure plays an important role: a qualification obtained at one depth does not automatically cover another. Second, it does not stay valid by itself — it must be periodically confirmed that you have carried out work within the qualified range, a confirmation provided by your employer, welding supervisor or welding coordinator.
Common questions
- Can I take an underwater welding course with an HSE diving certificate?
- Admission requires a recognised professional diving certificate. Under the Dutch scheme that is B30, B50R or B50. Holding an HSE, ADAS, DCBC or other national certificate does not rule you out: send it in and we assess the training, experience and competences against the admission requirements of the programme, individually and in advance. Any formal recognition or equivalence remains subject to the applicable Dutch rules and competent authorities.
- Is the welder qualification the same thing as a diving certificate?
- No. They are two separate qualifications. The diving certificate says you may work underwater; the welder qualification (LK) says you may weld to a given standard. An underwater welder holds both, and the welding qualification is added on top of the diving one.
- Which standard will I be qualified to?
- EN ISO 15618-1, the internationally applied qualification standard for underwater welders welding steel in a hyperbaric wet environment, or AWS D3.6M. The qualification tests are carried out to that standard and independently conducted under DNV oversight.
- Does the qualification apply at any depth?
- No. The qualification is tied to the conditions and variables under which you were tested, and water depth with its corresponding ambient pressure plays an important role. Check which depth a project requires before you book a test.
- How long does an underwater welding course take?
- Five days if you already bring welding experience, or eleven days if you start without a welding background — the extended track adds foundational surface welding first.
Next: tracks, admission and current pricing, what a DNV qualification test looks like, step by step, or what underwater welding training costs in Europe.