A career as a dive instructor - realistic or idealistic?

[Xizang]

as many have probably have said it being an OWSI is just no longer enough these days. If I were a DM who wanted to change my life and live the dive life, I would probably first try to get to OWSI while retaining my day job, then give it another year or two teaching part time to get the experience then also work my way up to IDC staff instructor or if I can all the way to master instructor. With a day job it would be easier to pay for all those application fees and make ends meet...

 

[Matrixusa1]

You WILL leave the Material world behind-you won't be able to afford it.

 

[ABlue]

as many have probably have said it being an OWSI is just no longer enough these days. If I were a DM who wanted to change my life and live the dive life, I would probably first try to get to OWSI while retaining my day job, then give it another year or two teaching part time to get the experience then also work my way up to IDC staff instructor or if I can all the way to master instructor. With a day job it would be easier to pay for all those application fees and make ends meet...

That's what we plan to do, get to (at least) Staff Instructors but for that we need a first real job to get more experience... In part time it takes to long to have enough certifications....

 

[orangelemon]

for Job Hunting I recomend www.diversjobs.com and www.padi.com (pro section employment). Also recommend doing your DM and IDC at the company you want to stay with / like the look of. Our most recent IDC candidate impressed us so much we got her a work permit and she is now a very competant and popular instructor.

 

[ABlue]

Thanks I have been aplying and praying

 

[Sirenita]

Hi Guys!! Quick update!

Well, I have been back in the UK for 2 weeks now, and already dreaming of the deep blue sea. That's lucky, as I leave England again in exactly 1 week from now, to head out to my first ever job as a newbie instructor! I'll be living and working on Canouan Island, in St Vincent & The Grenadines, West Indies, for Canouan Dive Center. I'm dead lucky to have the opportunity to work for this dive shop, as it's a small laid-back place where I can really learn about the job at my own pace. My job will involve team teaching with another instructor or more of a dive master role for the first couple of months until I become more knowledgeable about local dive sites, and of course the reality of teaching real life students! (as opposed to the pretend students enacted by my friends in our IDC....very different I imagine!)

I'm really excited about what is yet another new adventure, and I'm sure I'll meet just as many great friends! (who knows, maybe some people from Scuba Board?!)

 

[Bill51]

Congratulations from another recently minted instructor – but one with way too many years in the corporate world before venturing out.

With all of the Donald’s investment to your new home it looks like you’ll have some great opportunities to observe and find your specific niche in the dive world to set you apart from other instructors.

 

[Scubakevdm]

I am just starting out in my journey to train as an instructor, which involves me selling up everything in the UK, and moving out to Thailand with a one way ticket in just a couple of weeks to study at an IDC. I have this sort of wildly optimistic, blind faith in the idea that if I work hard I will succeed and be happy, (and hopefully earn a living!) but after reading these forums, I am a little worried that I am being too idealistic? Do I need to take off my rose tinted mask?

Many people here seem to be saying that it's just not possible to earn a living teaching diving, and I was hoping to hear from any people who have success stories, to prove it is possible? (I am willing to work seasonally in different places around the world, at least while I'm still young, footloose and fancy free!)

While I don't expect to be a wealthy playgirl, I have been entertaining this romantic notion of leaving the materialistic world behind, living by the ocean, and sticking a white picket fence into the sand around my front door

I do okay. I work alot... and make the vast majority of my earnings DMing on the boat, but I teach too, here and there. I also work in the shop. All in all I put in about 80 to 90 hours a week. Let me know if you decide to live the dream, because I could use some help. The dream's tuckering me out.
I do not think that it is an unrealistic dream for you. Anyone that takes pride in their work and is willing to work hard can earn enough to get by, especially if you don't require alot to get by on. I certainly did some major streamlining and simplifying, pared my needs down to almost nothing, but you know what? I'm happy with nothing, and that's pretty hard to beat. I do about 600 dives a year, have great friends, live near the beach, and work underwater. I really don't need a whole lot more than that.

Two things that I believe improve your chances of being hired in the South Pacific are:

1. Being a hot chick, which you seem to have a pretty good handle on, and
2. Speaking German or Japanese, in addition to English.

If for some reason you wake up an ugly, unilingual male one day, you'll have to go look for work in Florida. Congratulations and good luck!

 

[victor]

Hi Guys!! Quick update!

Well, I have been back in the UK for 2 weeks now, and already dreaming of the deep blue sea. That's lucky, as I leave England again in exactly 1 week from now, to head out to my first ever job as a newbie instructor! I'll be living and working on Canouan Island, in St Vincent & The Grenadines, West Indies, for Canouan Dive Center. I'm dead lucky to have the opportunity to work for this dive shop, as it's a small laid-back place where I can really learn about the job at my own pace. My job will involve team teaching with another instructor or more of a dive master role for the first couple of months until I become more knowledgeable about local dive sites, and of course the reality of teaching real life students! (as opposed to the pretend students enacted by my friends in our IDC....very different I imagine!)

I'm really excited about what is yet another new adventure, and I'm sure I'll meet just as many great friends! (who knows, maybe some people from Scuba Board?!)

Well it's great to see that you have made the big step and found a job.
What made you decide on Canouan? was it the first offer that came up?
It looks like a small and friendly operation.
I do envy you leaving winter here for the warm caribean weather.
I wonder how you will enjoy living the Island life, I imagine some people are so layed back in that part of the world thats its a miracle that they get up at all.
Keep us informed and keep your blog going, it's great to know someone is living the dream.

 

[bubblemonkey]

glad this has worked out for you, hopefully it will work out for us as well.....