ABSTRACT
The age range for the initial training of professional naval divers varies from 17 to 20 years at one extreme, to 35 at the other. In adulthood, age is of limited value in success prediction for achieving diving skills, but the most satisfactory age is in the early twenties. Most professional diving schools prefer to select divers aged 22 to 29 years. Beyond this range the candidate will have a more limited life as a working diver, whereas under the age of 22 years they are usually not experienced enough in their basic work skills, and also perhaps are not as reliable or mature. Failure rates in training professional diving candidates below the age of 19 years makes this practice commercially unprofitable (see Edmonds, 1972).
