Underwater welding training & qualification

We train certified professional divers to become qualified underwater welders. The practice-focused programme centres on hyperbaric wet welding and concludes with a welder qualification to EN ISO 15618-1 or AWS D3.6M.

Two tracks

5-day qualification track

This training is intended for certified professional divers who already have welding experience, or who want to add a formal underwater welder qualification to their skill set.

Hyperbaric wet welding theory, including electrode selection, materials knowledge, welding parameters and the effect of water depth on the welding process
Daily practical training in our 21-metre dive basin, where the movable floor sets the training and test depth to the centimetre
Welder qualification test (LK) to the applicable standard, conducted under DNV oversight

Indicative price: € 4,450.00 excl. VAT — confirm current pricing when booking.

Please note! Candidates who can demonstrate previously acquired skill through earlier diplomas or certificates follow an adapted programme. They can skip the two days of dry (surface) welding training, shortening the programme to 3 days, at an adjusted price:

Indicative price: € 3,450.00 excl. VAT — confirm current pricing when booking.

11-day extended track

For professional divers with little or no welding experience

This track is intended for certified professional divers with little or no welding background. Participants first build the necessary basic surface welding skills. This is followed by the full hyperbaric wet welding programme, concluding with the welder qualification test.

Two days of foundational surface welding training, focusing on welding technique, electrode handling, welding positions and recognising weld defects
The complete five-day hyperbaric wet welding programme
Extra practical hours in the dive basin, covering different welding positions, fillet welds and realistic repair scenarios
Welder qualification test (LK) to the applicable standard, conducted under DNV oversight

Price on request.

Admission requirements

A recognised professional diving certificate. Dutch scheme: B30, B50R or B50. Holding a non-Dutch certificate (HSE, ADAS, DCBC, national schemes)? Send it in — we assess equivalence individually.
A valid occupational diving medical.
Basic welding experience is recommended for the 5-day track; the 11-day track starts from scratch.

Keep your qualification valid

An underwater welder qualification must be actively maintained. Under EN ISO 15618-1, the qualification is valid for a maximum of two years, provided that every six months the employer, welding supervisor or welding coordinator confirms that welding has been carried out within the qualified range. After two years, the underwater welder must be requalified.

AWS D3.6M has its own continuity scheme. The qualification remains valid for six months, provided that acceptable production welds within the qualified range can be demonstrated within every 90-day period. After a longer interruption, a confirmation weld may be required.

Plan your confirmation or requalification test in good time. Our requalification sessions align with the regular course dates.

Dates, booking and language

Courses run several times per year in Enkhuizen and are taught in Dutch and English. Current dates, availability and registration are handled by the Hyperbaric Welding Center.

View current course dates on bc-opleidingen.nl

Not sure which qualification you need for your work? Read which qualifications you need to weld on pipelines at depth.

Questions about admission or your certificate?

We gladly assess your diving certificate and welding background, and advise which track fits.