I want to learn to dive in Thailand and work in Australia

[brandonlol]

Hey everyone, I am new to this forum. I was wondering if I could get some advice on my plan. I recently aquired a working holiday visa for Australia, and instead of working in retail, fast food or fruit picking, I want to do something a little better...I found that there are schools in Thailand for two months of scuba diving. I have been diving only once, 7 years ago in Hawaii when I was 13. I loved it, I know scuba diving is something I will really like. I really want to do one of these two month long classes in Thailand to become a PADI divemaster. I am just wondering, what can I do with this? I'm not necessarily looking to be an instructor, but I'll do anything really. I just was wondering if there was a good chance at getting a job in one of these places or if there will be a lot of competition, and maybe it will be better to get certified just for fun and do a week long thing instead of invest a lot of time and money in trying to get a dream job. Thanks for any advice! I look forward to learning a lot from this forum...

Oh and here is a link to what I'm talking about if anyone wants to see it

http://www.gapinternshipsthailand.com/scuba-diving-internships/padi-divemaster-internship.html

 

[diver257a]

Hi there...

Working in Thailand – based on advice from an acquaintance currently doing a divemaster course in Thailand, it can be very busy. So it may be worth asking about the opportunity.

If you want to work in Australia as a divemaster/instructor, it may be better to learn in Australia. It may worthwhile putting a post on Australia as there are regular posters with industry background & affiliations. Most of the work is in Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne and possibly Perth. In the part of the Australia where I live, one usually only gets work in a store or on a charter on the basis of an invitation from the owner of the business. Also, the average wage is relatively low – say $AUD 30K for a divemaster & $AUD 33K for an instructor. Have a look at the following link for an insight into the working arrangements & the pay - http://www.fwa.gov.au/documents/agreements/wpa/CAEN073502070.pdf.

 

[brandonlol]

Hi there...

Working in Thailand – based on advice from an acquaintance currently doing a divemaster course in Thailand, it can be very busy. So it may be worth asking about the opportunity.

If you want to work in Australia as a divemaster/instructor, it may be better to learn in Australia. It may worthwhile putting a post on Australia as there are regular posters with industry background & affiliations. Most of the work is in Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne and possibly Perth. In the part of the Australia where I live, one usually only gets work in a store or on a charter on the basis of an invitation from the owner of the business. Also, the average wage is relatively low – say $AUD 30K for a divemaster & $AUD 33K for an instructor. Have a look at the following link for an insight into the working arrangements & the pay - http://www.fwa.gov.au/documents/agreements/wpa/CAEN073502070.pdf.

Thanks for your reply. I will definitely post in the Australia section. However I can't really learn to dive in Australia because it will be so expensive. The advantage of doing it in Thailand is I will be able to get a really cheap place to sleep, and the food is so cheap as well. Also I wanted to make sure I get to see another part of the world if I'm going all the way out there. Thanks again for your reply

 

[fncrow]

Go for it. I was just in Cairns back in Feb and just about every dive shop i went by was hiring everything from boat crew(cooks,cleaners and so on) to instructors. What you plan on doing is basically my plan too except in gonna do my IDC in Utila sometime in the next year or two and then apply for my Ausie working visa.

 

[Sinbad Scuba]

If you have your heart set on learning in Thailand, look at Mermaid Dive Center in Pattaya or ScubaCat in Phuket.

 

[brandonlol]

fncrow, that's great to hear! It's funny, I was talking to a friend last night and he said he's been to Honduras, and recommended I learn at Utila. I've emailed them about a price, maybe I'll end up going there also.

Sinbad Scuba, I'm not exactly set on learning in Thailand. I really just want to visit a country that's different than the US and cheap to stay/eat in. And of course there are pretty good priced flights to Bangkok, so that was my main reason for learning in Thailand. But maybe, if you (or anyone else) has advice for picking a good place to learn in, that would help me greatly. I've looked at a bunch, I found some schools for $3,000-$7,000. I'm not sure what's so great about the more expensive places, or if the extra money is worth it. I also read somewhere on the forum that someone actually got paid to do an internship. I'd totally be interested in doing work in order to actually get paid to scubadive, that sounds awesome. I just don't know where to look, or how to tell if it's a good place or not...

 

[Arnaud68]

Hi!

This post is a little old, but may be you still looking for informations.

I can give some, because I did a divemaster internship in Thailand, in Koh Phi Phi to be exact. I can tell you how it was.

The island is awesome and people are great. Diving was good too, but it's far better in high season. I found my internship before to go there, but it's not so hard to find a dive shop once you get there. Up to you, if you want to look it up before or not. Every dive shop offer the same deal : 4 months internships (or 5, depend on your diving levels). Dive shops don't provide food or accomodation, you are on your own for this, and of course, you don't get paid. You have to come or buy your diving equipment too (1000-1500$).

In high season, you get a lot of diving (nearly everyday), in low season, it depends on your luck and how many divers the dive shops can get. Basicelly, when you got your divemaster, you dive when the shop need you.

Even if the internship is free, it will costs you some money (accomodation is expensive in Phi Phi, 250-400$ / month) in high season), plus your diving stuff. But there are other places to go : Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Tao/Lanta, may be Similans too. In other islands, they can have other deal, but on Phi phi, it works how i told you.

I hope this helps you a little. For sure, doing your internship in Thailand will cheaper than in Australia. For the quality of the courses, it will depends on your instructors. Mines was excellent, so i don't regret at all my choice to go there to do it ! (Plus very good diving, beautifull island, great partys !)

 

[24Heels]

I just finished my PADI Open Water class at Aquanauts in Pattaya. Several Aussies and Brits working there as instructors and interns. They can provide a visa and take you as far as you want to go. Here is the link to their internship program: DIVING INTERNSHIPS: Aquanauts 5-Star CDC Thailand Instructor Divemaster Scuba Career Training MSDT IDC Staff Pattaya

 

[DevonDiver]

...instead of working in retail, fast food or fruit picking, I want to do something a little better...I found that there are schools in Thailand for two months of scuba diving.

It is a little better... which is why hundreds of other 'zero-to-hero' Divemasters do the same thing.

It's worth doing some research about the supply and demand for divemasters, before you outlay any expense on getting the qualification.

I have been diving only once, 7 years ago...

Not the best experience base for starting a fast-track to scuba professional status.

Would it bother you that most of your customers were more experienced and/or proficient in diving than you were? Would it bother them, do you think?

I loved it, I know scuba diving is something I will really like.

Undoubtedly. Do you honestly imagine that working in a professional capacity would bring a similar experience to that first taster you had?

It's worth doing some honest research into the conditions and working patterns you'd be undertaking.

If a 13 year old enjoyed a trip to Disneyland, would they love working on a burger stand there?

I really want to do one of these two month long classes in Thailand to become a PADI divemaster.

You'll get the card, but you should really question the experience and capability you can possibly acquire in two months - this is an industry where credibility is measured in hundreds of dives, not dozens.

I am just wondering, what can I do with this?

You can join the hundreds of other zero-to-hero divemasters flooding to Australia with dreams of earning a liveable income from working in a dream job....

... then end up fruit picking, or flipping burgers along with 99% of them.

I just was wondering if there was a good chance at getting a job in one of these places or if there will be a lot of competition, and maybe it will be better to get certified just for fun and do a week long thing instead of invest a lot of time and money in trying to get a dream job. Thanks for any advice! I look forward to learning a lot from this forum...

If you "love diving" then invest some time and money into becoming a good diver. Don't do it with expectations, other than enjoying the ocean.

If you get some work, great. If you don't then you'll still have the enjoyment and will be a better diver for it.

Do a LOT of research on which dive centres will give you a great course. A LOT.

There's loads of 'sausage factory' training centres in Thailand. The junk food of scuba education. Take your money, do the bare minimum in the shortest time, tick the boxes and send you away with a shiny card for your wallet.

Other dive centres make you into a great diver... but never in 2 months...