In North America, just get a very basic course. 10,000$+ courses where you are taught sat diving, etc are a waste of your money. Nobody will hire you to do advanced/highest level work until you earn your way in. People dont walk out of college and into a deep sat job or start welding up pressurized pipes. You bust your ass and be ready to go anywhere on a moment's notice, be easy to get along with and work hard, and eventually you get better paying work.
There is more chance of actually getting in the water if you are INLAND. On the coasts, lots of competition and crap money for hauling equipment around and being a tender for a looong time.
The Commercial Diving Directory has everything you need to know about comm diving in my opinion.
Do not go and spend 1000's of dollars on a year-long school before reading that website and the forums extensively.
Cheers,
Erik
