Where to become dive master

[boulderjohn]

And that was my point earlier. He said he wanted to go somewhere to train. He didn't say he wanted to go live there (after he finishes training). I said he should consider doing his training where he wants to work. I.e. if he wants to train and then "go home" to work, he might want to reconsider.

However, if he DOES want to go live and work in, for example, Roatan, do you really think he'd be more likely to get a job there (in the dive industry) by training somewhere else first?

No, I don't think you are more likely to get a job teaching there if you are trained somewhere else; I don't think you are likely to get a job in a place like that when you are fresh out of a training program PERIOD. That means there is no advantage in that regard. If you want to work for a major operation like that or in a major resort like that, you are probably going to have to come to them with some experience under your belt. If they are going to hire a brand new DM out of their program, you will be competing with hundreds of people they just trained.

When you graduate from such a program, you are more likely to get hired somewhere else that does not have that constant flood of graduates. When you get some experience somewhere else, you can then try to get hired there with all that experience on your résumé.

 

[Subway Watersports]

Hello, we have some fantastic internship opportunities here on Roatan and we include accommodation, rental equipment, lunches and much more in all of our programs. We have two very busy dive shops and you will be learning next to some of the most experienced Divemasters and Instructors on the island. If you want more information, please contact us at info@subwaywatersports.com, and we would be happy to put you in touch with some of our former interns so you can speak to them about their experience during and after our program. Best of luck with your search and happy bubbles!

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . If they are going to hire a brand new DM out of their program, you will be competing with hundreds of people they just trained.

But it does happen, at least from what I saw on Utila. I'm sure it was highly competitive, and they were earning peanuts, and that was only after becoming instructors--the market for paid divemasters is probably close to nonexistent. I suppose like any other job in a crowded field, if you're really good, have the enthusiasm, and all of the other qualities that go along with it, you can make it.

 

[Hank49]

Same in Boracay, Philippines. Pretty high turnover of new students who are willing work hang around and work for a while. Some stay for years but many, like myself, have kids or will have kids and although it's a great life style, it's hard to put kids through college on a DM's pay.

 

[Blasto]

Honestly.. I'm not too sure at this point.

If you're not sure, don't go DM. You know you liked diving as a new exciting adventure. How do you know you'll like it 3 times a day, 6 days a week? You don't until you get at least... how many hours would you need to evaluate a job; no less than a week, right? And of course actual diving is 35% of a DM's job if you're lucky, 15% if you're not.

If nothing else, have mercy for the people you plan to guide on dives, that being what a DM does; many or most will have more experience than you will upon completing your class.

pursue a career in scuba diving.

No such thing.

While a CD will earn on par with a fresh grad from a mid-ranked college in a good field, you don't just work your hours up to CD. The amount of ability, effort and dedication (oh, and investment:salary ratio) it takes to get to that level is roughly comparable to that to get to mid-size business CEO or high-ranked exec in a large company.

Piloting is of course a very real career, but it's hard to imagine how it would combine with DM'ing. There's no money in it, so the only reason for you to DM would be for the fun of it, not the pay... and you need a lot more dives to confirm it's something you'd have fun doing.

 

[seadweller]

The first thing you want to do , dive . Get some time underwater and enjoy yourself .
After that if you are still interested in being a divemaster , then take the courses that
will lead you in that direction . There are many dive internships available in the Keys .
Good luck and have fun diving !
Sea Dwellers