Backpacking around the world and finding work as a Dive Master?

[Splint]

Hi everyone,

a hypothetical question here, if I were to go backpacking around the world how difficult would it be to find work as a DM if I was only staying at one location for a month or two? Would dive operators not want a bar of it since I'd be there for such a short time? Would it be difficult to obtain work visa/permit? Has anyone here done this sort of thing?

Cheers
Splint

 

[requena]

in my opinion if you want to backpacking around the world, it will beter if you got the money to do it and then if you are luky an find DM jobs, better for you, but even if you get jobs do not spect to get money to move around, the payment normaly it is not so good, over all for DM. so trying to find a job going to the places some time is the best and some it doesn´t work at all.

visas are normaly for long term position as 6 months or 1 year comitment, work ilegaly is very comun in many countries but if the police got you, you have to pay money and i think you´ll be deported.i´ve been working without visa many times and it was always ok but i heard bad things from other divers. red sea, mediteranian sea, caribe and some parts of south east asia are into their peak season now . i´m trying to find a places where it is posible to go and trying to find a job once there, avoiding some tipical areas as cancun or egip, but it is not easy and i think been in a far away country with no money or job it is not a good experience.
best luck in your trip

 

[James Bond boat entry]

My plan was to take a year off my normal career and work in the recreational diving industry as an instructor... booking the time off was easy, earning money was difficult.

If you speak another language other than English, this will give you a big head start in the diving industry & working illegally is quite common in poorer countries. Becoming an instructor will only increase your odds marginally, again, languages are key & you need to plant yourself in one place for more than a few months.

PADI does not regulate the number of their instructors, divemasters or dive shops in the world. So in warm places, there is always more than needed and the wages are crap, note, locals are usually engaged as dive masters in tropical places.

Generally, waitering, tending bar ect would get you further ahead than divemastering while on your backpacker adventure. Dive shops make good money selling the DM courses, but there isn't much of need for them.

Hi everyone,

a hypothetical question here, if I were to go backpacking around the world how difficult would it be to find work as a DM if I was only staying at one location for a month or two? Would dive operators not want a bar of it since I'd be there for such a short time? Would it be difficult to obtain work visa/permit? Has anyone here done this sort of thing?

Cheers
Splint

 

[ben@scorpiodivers.com]

splint summed that one up well,
dive masters are unfortunatly in mass numbers and inst. are always in demand.
i did however work as a dm in fiji, thailand and oz before become a padi and ssi inst.
the wages are poor compared to an instructor but cozumel for instance, dm make more than inst... its all about finding the right place for you and as always, if your good at your job it will pay off!
as far as visas go it is very important your in tramit/legal status whilst working as a dm, if you have a problem (god forbid) it can be very very serious!
an other option is to find an internship program where you dm work is credited toward inst rating or find a liveaboard to work on for free, filling tanks, cleaning equipment etc... i did that for three months on the great barrier reef an man it was the best diving of my life, didnt make money but didnt spend money either!!
you ll have a good time, stay away from dodgy op's though!