Dive Master Training

[Ellenj]

Hello all,

I am new to the forum and have some questions to ask in relation to Divemaster training.

I am currently in the UK with 23 logged dives. I am an advanced diver with SSI. I love being underwater and my recent diving trip in the Similan Islands Thailand has made me sure that this is a career I want to pursue. I know that I need to do EFR and Rescue diver course as well as get a few more dives under my belt. I do have a few questions that hopefully you can help answer.

1 - Do I need to do a specific EFR course related to diving or is it possible to do a first aid course whilst I am in the UK?

2 - I've spoken to a few divemasters who have worked at diveshops to repay a 'free' course. What is the general consensus on this? Is it a realistic option? I feel like it could be a great way to gain real experience and to avoid a big upfront cost but I have also read of people being taken advantage of.

3 - How easy is it to find jobs? I'm pretty flexible in terms of where to go in the world. I have spent the past 18 months teaching in Thailand so I would be happy to earn extra money teaching private English lessons. However, I would prefer to have my main source of income through diving. Is this unrealistic?

4 - What equipment would I be expected to have?

5 - Any advice or recommendations as to where to do the training would also be greatly appreciated. I am not into partying but would like to go somewhere friendly and social. I want to learn as much as possible. I'm flexible in terms of physical location but would like to go somewhere with interesting dive sites.


Thank you in advance for any advice or suggestions, I really appreciate any help.

 

[mjatkins]

Hi Ellen,
First off, congratulations on your decision to pursue your dream and do something extraordinary!

You do not need a specific EFR course, you just need one that meets or exceeds the prerequisite requirements. Pretty much any course from a recognizable training agency that includes both primary care (CPR etc) and secondary care (bandaging and splinting etc) will meet the requirement. The course must be completed within 24 months of both the start and finish of your Divemaster program.

The option of training in exchange for work is a hotly contested topic on many forums and chat groups. Obviously there will be people for and against. My experience as someone who trains Divemasters and Instructors for a living is that the "free" courses very rarely work out well for either the shop or the student. A few things you might ask yourself are why would a quality dive centre give away training? As a DMT (Divemaster In Training) you have a very limited amount of skills that a dive centre can use. They are mostly labour positions. In my opinion the only reasons for a dive centre to give away training in exchange for work is if they are not able to pay their staff a wage, they can not attract staff, or they are hoping to gain experience training Divemasters because they want to learn how to do it. None of these options seem very appealing if what you are wanting is a quality education and a jump start on a successful career in diving. I believe you are better off to go to a dive centre where you will get a top quality education, rather than a "free" certification from someone who is unable to attract Divemaster candidates at a fair price.

How easily you can find work is dependent on many variables. Some places will have work for Divemasters during busy seasons on a freelance basis. Places that are more steady (no high/low season) tend to have those jobs filled already. Add to that the challenge of getting a work permit as a Divemaster in many places, and a strong argument can be made for going on to the Instructor Development Course. It is much easier to actually make a living in many places as an Instructor rather than a Divemaster. That all having been said, anything is possible if you go after it. You would do well to see if the shop you do your Divemaster program with has opportunities for employment afterward.

What equipment you are expected to have will vary during your course. Some dive centres will expect you to have your own full set of equipment during the course (BCD, Regs, SMB, Compass, Computer, Mask, Fins, etc), and some will allow you to use or rent during your program. Once you have finished the course you will be a professional, and as such you will be expected to own your own gear. Check with the dive centre you are looking at for your training, and see if they offer reduced pricing on equipment packages for their Divemaster candidates.

As for where to do the course, the world is your oyster You will find programs all over the world, and everyone will have an opinion as to where "the best" is. I suggest you contact some dive centres and ask for information, then go wherever the program feels right. Dive master courses are a very personal thing. It is a mentorship, not a course, so find someone you connect with and trust, then go wherever they are.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you.

 

[emoreira]

Only to those point where I could add my 2 cents :

1) The EFR course you need to do should involve Oxygen provider. Normal EFR courses do not add this particular chapter. SSI follows the PAB (www.pabcpr.com) program.

2) For this you should have your own way of living during the course duration and until DM pays for your living.

4) As per SSI standards a Dive professional should have all the gear required (except tank) to do the dives where you are working.

 

[rivers]

Probably not what you want to hear, but.... You have 23 dives. You are still learning to dive and you don't know what you don't know. Spend the next few years just diving. Start diving here in the UK and see what we have to offer.

 

[TMHeimer]

mjatkins spells it all out. From what I've read here over the years, I particularly like his analysis of internships. There's all sorts of stuff on SB about this and other aspects of trying t make a living. Apparently instructors often do DM jobs on boats, thus severly limiting those opportunities for certified DMs. As for the "Dream", my personal view is that you probably have to be a very good instructor, one who speaks the local language, one who has other marine skills (like repairs, boat captain, etc.), able to do retail in a store, etc., and a bit of luck--in order to make what may be a decent living. If I were young I'd look for a good paying day job career, dive a lot, and see what happens. If the money is there, later on you can become a DM or Instructor and not worry about income (though I'd never do it for free--another often discussed topic). But that's just me. I'm not trying to discourage the "Dream", but.... When I was teaching Band I had a student who formed a garage band with friends. They were very good. He worked at Blockbuster as a day job while the band waited for the big break (of course if you ever get that, you're in the $ forever). The band finally broke up at his age 34, and now he is starting his career using his degree in data something or other. If you are looking to relax somewhat in your older years, the youngest years are when you can store up some money and invest for decades. Good luck with what you decide.

 

[guruboy]

Probably not what you want to hear, but.... You have 23 dives. You are still learning to dive and you don't know what you don't know. Spend the next few years just diving. Start diving here in the UK and see what we have to offer.

A few years is a little extreme. If you love diving, go for it. However, make sure you consider the legal implications of going pro. You will be expected and legally required to do things as a professional and take on the liability that comes with it. You will have to pay for insurance.

There are a lot of steps between OW and DM. Start the path now and keep evaluating as you progress.

For example, I know NAUI has a TA level where you are able to assist with classes but not a professional yet.

Also, I would not consider scuba a career, rather more of a hobby you can sometimes get paid to do.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yes, some more good points above. There have been discussions about experience you should have before looking at DM.....Number of dives, varied dives, number of underwater hours, etc. There is also the question of time -- in that, who is a better candidate, someone with 200 dives over 10 years or someone with 100 over 3 months? A lot of variables here. Some say the "Zero to Hero" approach can work OK if you, like, dive every day for 4 months straight. Others say no. I started the course having completed 158 dives, which seemed about right for me at the time. Everyone is different.
I don't disagree with guruboy about making it a hobby. But I'll add-- Divemastering is hard work and in my case completely filled weekends. Enjoyable, yes for sure. But if I were still teaching Band in my old full time day job, I would not consider it. I did play basketball on men's teams back then, but it wasn't a job, and no responsibilities other than to hit the corner shot. Again, just me, but I would just do a lot of diving, or just occasional diving on weekends here and there if I had a regular day job. Need some down time, etc. Or, you could just DM a very few times a year like I did.

 

[Steve_C]

Its been a while since I looked at the SSI program but I thought it was arranged slightly differently and called Dive Con instead of DM.

 

[CapNemo]

Earning potential as a divemaster can directly relate to where you are working, and also where you did your divemaster course. You're more likely to gain valuable work experience in the same area that you completed your course as you'll already be familiar with the dive sites, the dive centers, and the local divers. Therefore, I'd look for an area to do your divemaster that has a high opportunity for future work. There are many reputable dive centers around the world with great divemaster programs in busy dive industry areas that can more or less guarantee some work experience after certification.

Additionally, if you're serious about a career in diving you may also want to consider becoming an instructor after sufficient DM experience. Instructors are much more employable worldwide as already stated, and instructor pay will often be enough to make a healthy living.

Best of luck, drop me a message if you'd like any tips on divemaster programmes or IDC's around Thailand.

 

[Oldbear]

If you are still in the UK have you thought about joining a local BSAC club? Early in my diving career I had the awesome opportunity to join a BSAC in Kuwait. I even did their Dive Leaders (Divemaster) program. I got to dive fairly inexpensively and they assisted me in my dive career growth. After my BSAC experience I went to Honduras and did my DM at Utila Dive Center...that was also a great experience.