Dive Master?

[Daino]

Hello! I am planning on going away somewhere this summer to do my PADI dive master qualification. Firstly I was wondering, as at the moment I have my BSAC Sports diver qual, do i need to do some sort of conversion course to make me PADI or can it automatically be converted ( or is BSAC well known enough around the world to do a BSAC course?)? Secondly, where abouts is the best and cheapest place in the world to do this qualification? I was thinkin of maybe either thailand or Egypt, but dont know where abouts? And thirdly, how much does this course normally cost, and do most scuba schools have the possibility to keep me on as a dive master after I pass? Just a few questions!!
Thanks very much, Katie Dain

 

[Cousin]

Secondly, where abouts is the best and cheapest place in the world to do this qualification?

Keep one thing in mind, you normally pay for the quality of education that you get. I know several divemasters that took the class just to take it and they ended up not learning that much, from what I have heard and seen it was more like an advanced advanced open water class.

When I shop for classes for myself, I talk to the person or shop, never ask the price, and let them tell about how classes are taught there and I also talk to a few of the students, to see what they think of it. I will goto other shops and compare programs and sometimes even ask about the other shop. Just get the feel for it.

 

[theskull]

A good divemaster course will not be a block-time certification class. It will be a program with an internship-style working arrangement with a dive shop. To be a decent divemaster you need the skills required by the class, but even more so you need the experience of having worked with a number of certification classes under a number of different instructors and having helped a great number of divers through their courses. Done this way, the program should take between 3 months (if you really immerse yourself in it and dive weekly) and 6 months, up to a year. If you take the class through one of your local shops, or wish to relocate and find a shop in your new destination, they should be able to tell you if they have a need for you as a staff employee once you pass the course--assuming that they also approve of your skills and attitude as meeting their needs in addition to qualifying for the cert.

If you do just run off and take a quickie week-long course you will earn the card but will not be truly ready to step in to a situation as a staff divemaster. You will need some seasoning.

theskull