IT’S A MAN’S WORLD NO MORE

by Luke Ashley Chan

The marine industry is not for the faint of heart, with the highly demanding physical and mental aspects of commercial diving posing as a challenge to even the most adventurous. But 31-year-old commercial diver Siti Naqiah Tusliman remains unfazed and has proven herself a force to be reckoned with in these male-dominated waters

With a burning passion for commercial diving ignited by leisure diving as a hobby, Naqiah has since cemented her role as Singapore’s first-ever, and only, female commercial diver. She is a seasoned mariner and has been a cherished member of the Hydropro family since July 2018.

Cheerful, determined, and hungry for knowledge, Naqiah’s dedication to the job is unquestionable – it is this drive to better herself that paved the way for the opportunity from Hydropro to advance the young diver was new skills.

The closing chapter of 2019 was one for the books for Naqiah, who was chosen to attend a grueling two-week training course at the Commercial Dive Academy in Tasmania, after which she was awarded an IMCA (International Maritime Contractors Association) recognised certificate for the ADAS (Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme) Offshore Diver Medical Technician (DMT) course.

The Commercial Dive Academy in Tasmania (www.commercialdiveacademy.com) is an internationally acclaimed ADAS and IMCA approved Commercial Dive School – their top-tier training makes a certificate from them a fast-track ticket to working anywhere in the world.

Naqiah described that her new role is a crucial one – in any 7-man dive team, one DMT is needed. If incidents or accidents occur on the job, it is Naqiah’s responsibility to ensure that the remote dive doctor has all the information he/she needs, as well as to assist with any medical procedures necessary on-site. Moreover, the intensive course introduces divers to high-level first aid skills, including intubations, suturing, and the administration of drugs in hyperbaric environments.

“All divers have to know basic first aid, but a DMT has advanced knowledge. I’m even allowed to give an intravenous (IV) injection with a doctor’s instructions!”

Although, the accreditation did not come easy. Naqiah recounted the learning curve in the course – while the two weeks were a refresher course for her international classmates, it was her first time encountering much of the material. Thus, she had to work twice as hard as her peers to overcome the gap in knowledge.

However, Naqiah is no stranger to putting in the work. Being a female in the industry presents unique challenges due to the demanding nature of the job, such as donning heavy equipment and working under extreme conditions.

“Being a woman in this field, sometimes it’s harder. Almost all the guys went through National Service – I have not. They’ve held spanners, and I haven’t – but it’s easy enough to catch up.”

Her peers at Hydropro are always by her side, guiding her along the way and imparting relevant knowledge when she asks for assistance. It is also this close-knit bind, Naqiah says, that motivates her and keeps her going.

“I’m happy here. It feels like a second family – a second home.”

Today, Naqiah continues to showcase her hardworking nature by adopting the responsibility of being Hydropro’s designated report writer; while others of the dive team go home to rest after a day’s work, she parks herself at her desk in the office to complete the necessary project reports.

Through determination and hard work, Naqiah has proven that she can dive with the best of them, all with a smile on her face. And now, with her ADAS approved Offshore DMT certificate, Naqiah is one of the top picks as an indispensable member of any dive team, be it in local or international waters.