Apprentice Dive Master Programs? (LONG)

[THellURider]

To setup the situation let me give you all some background:

I'm a student currently, and will be graduating this coming December with degrees in Economics (BS) and Management Engineering (BS). By that time, I should have graduate school applications turned in. So what that all means is that I will have approximately 9 months between graduation and when grad school starts in August. I'm trying to decide what to do in that time frame. Basically, I want to have fun, this will be the only time I will have to do something like this.

Currently I'm considering ski bumming for the remainder of ski season in Colorado, as well as working as an assistant firearms instructor at a local training facility. But at the end of ski season, I want to hit the beach. I've heard of these "apprentice dive master" programs where you work for them and do the ***** work but they put you through the dive mastyer program so in 5 to 6 months you are a certified dive master/instructor who knows the ins and outs of a dive business.

I was in Turks and Caicos last week and from speaking with Fifi of Caicos Adventures (A+ operation by the way), it seems that the chance of getting an apprentice program on non US soil is slim to none b/c of the cost of work permits. Which leaves me looking at Florida, or other warm water states.

So...

Does anyone have experience doing an apprentice program?

Does anyone on here have any interest in having an "apprentice"?

Do apprentice programs typically pay?

Other thoughts?

 

[THellURider]

BTW, I should add I'm currently OW, Advanced, Rescue and Nitrox certified.

And apparently, I should be waiting for Scuba Mark's reply? (Just saw the thread a few threads down)

 

[ScubaFreak]

no you can expect to pay to be an apprentice...very few places give free training. You may be able to work for training, but at the end of the day you end up needing an income. Most (not all) Divemaster courses are done by an internship. Perhaps this is being confused with the "apprentice programme" you're referring to.

SF

 

[Henryville]

You can easily become an instructor in the amount of time you are talking about. You say you want to do this for fun, and that is good because you won't make much (if any) money unless you work as a dive shop employee. In fact, you will shell out a good chunk of change to get the DM and Instructor certifications, probably when all is said and done in the neighborhood of 2 grand but that may just be my local market. Having done this, then you will be in a position to make a little money teaching or DMing on a boat (possibly, there is or should be more to this than having a DM card.)

Doing the DMing as an internship versus working with "simulated" students in an accelerated course (what you will find in many resorts that offer DM classes) is IMHO a lot better because you will be exposed to more teaching situations that you will draw on later. It also allows you to hook up with a shop that will give you some work when/if you get your instructor cert. Be sure you ask about this up front and have a clear discussion of what you want to do and what the shop needs before you select the place to get your instruction.

The good news is you'll have the qualifications and start on the experience you need to do this in your spare time for the love of it later on. I think most of the programs in resorts tend to be less oriented toward working relationships with students and more focused on helping people get the credentials they want, in a relatively short time frame, in a beautiful setting.

My .02

 

[THellURider]

Anyone else?