When I finished my DM internship, the advice I was given by my instructors was that if I wanted to be an instructor, work as a full time DM for a season or two. Where I was at, thats 3-400 dives a season. I think that is by far the better way to go for several reasons. First, thats a lot of experience you are gaining. You are also getting paid, meager DM pay, but still better than paying yourself for instructor internship. Lastly, after one or two seasons working the dive industry, you'll know if its what you really want to do or if turning a hobby into a career would be a big mistake (it almost always is).
OW to Instructor in 23 days
- Thread starter AlexKilpatrick
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And if you look at their site, wow have they got a system..... You pick options for staying from 25$ a night to 200$ a night for 23 days.... So add another 575$ to 4577$ for lodging. This doesn't include food. So. 10,000$ for 23 days of a bum's rush course, to make you someone I would Never hire in my shop.
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Can you find that on their web site? I surely couldn't.
Course: SCUBA Instructor Program – 28 Days
Tuition: $7980
Lodging and Meal Plan: $1400 ($50 per day)
Total: $9380
Prerequisite: 18 years old, Open Water certified, and pass a diver’s medical physical. (We can train for the Open Water certification two days prior to the start of each Instructor class.)
Fom http://www.divecda.com/scuba_career_course_description.htm
Tuition: $7980
Lodging and Meal Plan: $1400 ($50 per day)
Total: $9380
Prerequisite: 18 years old, Open Water certified, and pass a diver’s medical physical. (We can train for the Open Water certification two days prior to the start of each Instructor class.)
Fom http://www.divecda.com/scuba_career_course_description.htm
Last edited:
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Thanks for the info.
BelchFire
Contributor
As Cap335 indicated, it's a two step thing. And I witnessed it.
I did my advanced and nitrox courses there. My instructor frequently "subbed me out" to the students who were mid way through the 30 days. I remember the conversations vividly:
Me: "So, (Instructor/Student), how long have you been diving?"
(Instructor/Student): "Oh, a little over two weeks."
Me: -- bug eyed and speechless --
How do you respond to that?
It was kind of weird learning from folks who didn't have their own instructor's rating, but it was all under the supervision of an experienced instructor and he took part so he could accept responsibility. I'm guessing he was doubling up; teaching them to teach me, while teaching me. The nitrox part was easy, so I didn't worry about that. And the advanced rating wasn't anything more than a deeper, more thorough OW class, so I felt like I was getting some more intensity and that was all. At any rate, I think we're all personally responsible for our own learning and not our instructor. I read and re-read the coursework and did all the dive requirements; I'm satisfied.
But it was weird.
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
They do say that they are intense. Glad you had such a positive experience with them.
That being said, I am sure that most of the people participating in their program have more than a handful of dives. I know of two peeps who took their course and they had hundreds of dives each when they went in. That being said, a motivated person can learn this stuff fairly quickly.
That being said, I am sure that most of the people participating in their program have more than a handful of dives. I know of two peeps who took their course and they had hundreds of dives each when they went in. That being said, a motivated person can learn this stuff fairly quickly.
It's not hard to learn "everything" you need to know to be an instructor in a short period of time. It's not even all that hard to get in the 100 dives required while doing it. What is hard, and very likely impossible, is getting in enough real world experience in a short period of time to be an adequate (in my opinion) instructor.
On the other hand, there are lots of instructors teaching every day, who haven't gone though such a rushed program, who aren't (again, in my opinion) adequate instructors. With that in mind, I doubt these programs, horrible as I believe they are, really impact the overall quality of instruction all that much.
On the other hand, there are lots of instructors teaching every day, who haven't gone though such a rushed program, who aren't (again, in my opinion) adequate instructors. With that in mind, I doubt these programs, horrible as I believe they are, really impact the overall quality of instruction all that much.
vjanelle
Contributor
It's supposed to be 100 dives to *start* the padi IDC, no?
*boggles*
*boggles*
sansky
Contributor
No way! You would not have near the experience required to be comfortable teaching someone else to dive ... would you want that liability if something happened to them?
I've made over 3500 dives and even I would not be comfortable with that!
There is alot more to becoming a great Instructor than having yourself slammed with so much information in such a short time frame.
... of course this is just my 2 cents worth ....
I've made over 3500 dives and even I would not be comfortable with that!
There is alot more to becoming a great Instructor than having yourself slammed with so much information in such a short time frame.
... of course this is just my 2 cents worth ....
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