Here is the issue, the diving industry is all about recreation and spending money. Right now, the vast majority of people in the world are just trying to survive, not spend money on recreational activities. The times have changed and 10 years ago when I was teaching full-time, things were very different, the industry was growing at such a rapid pace, there was enough room for anyone who wanted a piece of the action. Today (as mentioned may times above) the industry has contracted substantially, there are lots of DM's and Instructors out their who have given up the fight to find work and went into other industries.
I started assistant teaching at 22 and was an instructor a year later. However, I already had a guaranteed job when I got started in the industry as my friend was an instructor and wanted me to teach with him. After we closed the company down and I was on my own looking for instructor work, I realized there wasn't any money in teaching. When I mean no money, I mean NO money, you've gotta work at a shop selling gear to make ANY money in this industry. When your at the shop selling gear, you aren't teaching. When your teaching, you're not at the shop selling gear. But being an instructor or DM for hire whenever you have the time off, you'll be lucky to make ends meet. Most companies don't provide room and board and most of the money made as a DM is in tips, not hourly rate. You work your ass off dealing with the worst divers imaginable, dealing with gear, conditions and of course wrangling the divers. Its really a topside job, with a tiny bit of diving, most of which isn't "fun" diving, its keeping an eye on the idiots.
If I were you, I'd dive recreationally and enjoy what you have. Real divers find a puddle and adapt to diving in that puddle, just to get wet. So I think you should just focus on enjoying what you have.
Trying to get in the industry right now is futile, there are already thousands of people who want the limited jobs on the market today. That includes product manufacturer jobs, which is the saddest part because working for a manufacturer would be great.
I started assistant teaching at 22 and was an instructor a year later. However, I already had a guaranteed job when I got started in the industry as my friend was an instructor and wanted me to teach with him. After we closed the company down and I was on my own looking for instructor work, I realized there wasn't any money in teaching. When I mean no money, I mean NO money, you've gotta work at a shop selling gear to make ANY money in this industry. When your at the shop selling gear, you aren't teaching. When your teaching, you're not at the shop selling gear. But being an instructor or DM for hire whenever you have the time off, you'll be lucky to make ends meet. Most companies don't provide room and board and most of the money made as a DM is in tips, not hourly rate. You work your ass off dealing with the worst divers imaginable, dealing with gear, conditions and of course wrangling the divers. Its really a topside job, with a tiny bit of diving, most of which isn't "fun" diving, its keeping an eye on the idiots.
If I were you, I'd dive recreationally and enjoy what you have. Real divers find a puddle and adapt to diving in that puddle, just to get wet. So I think you should just focus on enjoying what you have.
Trying to get in the industry right now is futile, there are already thousands of people who want the limited jobs on the market today. That includes product manufacturer jobs, which is the saddest part because working for a manufacturer would be great.
