Choosing a dive school

[Aqua Llama]

I have decided to change careers at age 60! Hey, I'm not getting any younger. So I have narrowed it down to two schools. The Florida Keys Dive Center and The International Dive Career Institute at Halls. I have talked to both of the schools and I really don't know which one would be best for me.

I just retired as a flyfishing outfitter and guide after 23 years. Prior to that I had a 20 year Army career. We closed our lodge last week and plan on having everything on the market by spring. It is glaringly apparent that I will be bored stupid if I don't start a new career so my wife and son both agree that a diving career would fit me like a glove. I am in very good shape and have a lot of snorkeling and a little bit of diving experience though I am not certified.

I guess I'm hoping someone could tell me of their experiences with these schools. Both seemed very professional yet engagingly friendly.

 

[BoltSnap]

You aren't certified scuba diver yet and you want to become a dive instructor, is this what you are stating?

 

[yle]

When you say "career", do you mean something you'll make money from? You should be skeptical of any fantastic promises of the career of a dive instructor. You know what they say about things that sound too good to be true...

 

[Aqua Llama]

Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. I want to start a new career.

I do not expect big money at all. I expect that it's like any other type of career where the more you know and the more experience you have the more marketable you are. I am sure that I would start at the bottom with everybody else.


But my question is about the dive schools I am looking at, not the feasibility of my endeavor.

I am 60 years old and have always wanted to pursue diving. I have the means to go to school and have been looking at these two. If I don't do it now, I'll get too old and never do it. If I can become an instructor and make enough to pay for more diving, then it's all good. If I actually make a career at this, even better.I plan on attending the most comprehensive courses available as going to be taking I can find. I'm also planning on enrolling in the USCG Masters Captain license this spring and having that license before I start school next fall.

 

[kablooey]

Although some feedback you will receive may seem less than helpful in answering your question, the responders are well intentioned. They're just suggesting your approach is unconventional, and they want to make sure you know that. Don't be discouraged.

Once you are sure this is what you want to do, follow your dream undeterred. Put all your heart into it. You'll know soon enough if you've made a wise choice.

I apologize for not having an answer to your question.
I very much hope you succeed, and feel welcome in the community of scuba divers.
Good luck. Please let us know about your journey.

K

 

[Phil_C]

Hi, welcome to scuba board, and welcome to diving.

I can't comment on the two dive centres you mention, because I don't have any experience of them but I can offer some thoughts on your plan.

Whilst what you want to achieve is not impossible, it will be both hard work and some time before you can make any money from diving. If you are financially secure, and looking for a 'hobby' to keep you physically and mentally challenged and that might in a couple of years start to pay for itself then you couldn't find a better choice (in my biassed opinion ).

But - if you are looking for a new 'career' that will put bread on the table and pay your bills then you will face a significant challenge. I don't know Montana but think you are a landlocked state? in which case you probably do not have great diving opportunities on your doorstep. You are going to be dependent on finding a dive centre you can use to certify and then build a relationship with and use to build up your experience first as a DM when you get to that stage, then as an instructor. But you will be competing with all those 'young bucks' often prepared to work for next to nothing, do the grunt work of filling and shlepping tanks, humping gear about, and work long hours for the meagre opportunities provided.

Diving gear is expensive and I have invested far more than I have ever had back, but what I do mostly manage to do is pay for most of my diving when abroad so I dive at no cost to myself. I dive at a number of dive clubs and instruct for them when I go. For my pains I get free gas and access to the boats, the enjoyment of teaching and often free food and sometimes board at the dive centre. But I don't take a fee, the centres I work at have a one or two staff instructors who have to do all the courses if the centre is going to survive and could not afford to pay for other instructors and still pay their bills.

So my strongest suggestion would be to be realistic about what you are setting out to achieve, zero to hero type courses to get you to instructor are available, but many centres do not employ the graduates of these schemes until they have built a lot of experience elsewhere as a DM or helping out.

Enjoy the diving, best wishes with whatever route you take, I hope it works out.

Phil.

 

[redacted]

Just like with fly-fishing, experience matters; probably more than whether you chose F-FU or F-FSU.

 

[Aqua Llama]

When I retired from the Army and told friends and family I was moving to Montana to be a fishing guide....they all poo pooed the whole idea and said I'd never make it. (That was 23 years ago) When I bought a piece of land and announced I was going to build a fishing lodge, I received the same attitude. I built this whole business with nothing but a dream. I started from the ground up and have enjoyed a fantastic life doing what I love. So if I worried what others say,or if I let others discourage my dreams, then I would probably be working some insanely boring job and praying I lived to retirement.

I did not wake up yesterday morning with a bright idea of being a scuba instructor! I actually started looking at this about a year and a half ago. I've been pulling oars for 23 years and built a successful fly fishing operation here, so I know what hard work and perseverance is.

Yes Montana is landlocked and the water is cold!
There is a scuba shop in Great Falls and Helena (I live halfway between the two) They offer basic certification courses but nothing like I'm looking for. Dive sites in Montana are in cold butt freezing lakes. I live on the upper Missouri River and have actually snorkeled the entire 35 mile section that we guide on. I have also dabbled in scuba diving in Panama but am not certified. Regardless of the,school I attend, my wife and I are planning on moving to the Keys next summer. (I am sick and tired of snow!)



I am the type of person that needs a changing environment, and interesting work. After I retired from the Army, I worked three jobs while building the guide business. 13 years ago we bought a piece of property overlooking the Missouri river and built a house and fishing lodge. I am a very outgoing person with excellent people skills. I enjoy teaching and both my wife and I are very skilled in the hospitality business. We are tired of being owned by stuff and have decided to pretty much sell everything and start over with a lot less 'stuff' and a whole new lifestyle.(Probably should quit listening to Jimmy Buffet songs, eh?) We have a nice nest egg put aside to do this and live without stress for a couple of years but I want/need to work as I cannot retire and sit on my ass. I need a purpose to get up in the morning or I'll be bored stupid. (I also qualify for the VA voc rehab program. It will pay for all tuition, equipment, and a living stipend while in school so that is a nice bonus)

I think I'm approaching this with realistic expectations. Like I said, If I work in the scuba industry I am sure I would start at the bottom like everybody else.

Now with all that said, I really am looking for information on these two schools. I just received a catalogue from Halls and should have the Florida Keys Dive Center catalogues tomorrow. I'm leaning towards Halls but could easily be talked in to FKDC. I would like to hear from anybody with any experience or knowledge of those two institutes.

 

[BoltSnap]

There is a substantial space/gap between taking an entry level scuba diver course and becoming qualified to take the instructor course and actually becoming a qualified instructor. There is so much training, experience and internships that are required between the two levels it will take 2 - 3 years with consistent diving and training at least and all assuming that the person will actually like diving and will do it rigorously enough to want to become an instructor and pay his dues to become a qualified one. "Loving the water" or being around the water aren't enough to be and do what it takes to become a diver let alone become a dive instructor.

To think that one just simply goes to a dive school and takes the entry level diver course and then go on to instructor level training is extremely unrealistic and naive.

 

[Aqua Llama]

There is a substantial space/gap between taking an entry level scuba diver course and becoming qualified to take the instructor course and actually becoming a qualified instructor. There is so much training, experience and internships that are required between the two levels it will take 2 - 3 years with consistent diving and training at least and all assuming that the person will actually like diving and will do it rigorously enough to want to become an instructor and pay his dues to become a qualified one. "Loving the water" or being around the water aren't enough to be and do what it takes to become a diver let alone become a dive instructor.

To think that one just simply goes to a dive school and takes the entry level diver course and then go on to instructor level training is extremely unrealistic and naive.

Look here brother, If I wanted people to tell me how hard something was or how long it was going to take then that would have been the question I asked. I'm not trying to be a dick here but the reason I've been successful in about every endeavor I undertake is that I don't let naysayers discourage me. Like I said, I'm 60 years old and I want to do this.I am not naive and I have been researching this for well over than a year. I didn't make this decision lightly. I understand what is entailed and have been researching the industry for over a year. I would think members here would be more encouraging.
You are obviously an experienced diver yourself. Were you born in a wet suit and fins? You were a beginner yourself once, correct? And now you are an expert and want to discourage others from pursuing a dream? Since I am not going to be wasting your time or spending your money, why would you care how hard it is for me? How about offering a little encouragement instead....and please don't patronize me with the statement that you just want to be sure I know what I'm getting into..I do.

Again, my question was about the two different schools. Florida Keys Dive Center(PADI) Halls Diving Institute (NAUI)