DiveMaster /Master Dive Cert on Island

[Dan_P]

I don’t know your goals or situation, so I cannot say what I think you should do, only share some very general thoughts;

I think the Pro-line is an interesting line for people who want to work in scuba and teach others how to dive (or, work as a shophand/boathand).

If it is the case that one is interested in pursuing that life, then the professional courses make sense.
If so, I would warn that there are a lot of holidaying schoolkids who give up their work for free, so competition is fierce and compensation low at the entry-level.

If one is interested in working in scuba part-time, one will at some point realize that one cannot be competitive against dedicated professionals as a part-time amateur.

But, if you’re looking to commit to scuba as your profession, dive master is a good start.
I have been on multiple pro paths (different agencies) and in my experience, you’ll be best equipped to teach people how to dive if pursuing training within the traditional DIR-organizations (UTD, GUE, ISE) for a start at least.

If you’re hoping to become a better diver, forget DM. Plenty of other courses do the job better.
If you’re hoping to become a part-time pro, forget it. Plenty of other people do the job better.
If you’re hoping to have a holiday, don’t waste it dragging around tanks and showing people how to suck on a regulator - just go diving.

That’s my ten cents, anyway. Hope it was of some use, and you enjoy your diving!

 

[Diving Dubai]

If you’re hoping to become a better diver, forget DM. Plenty of other courses do the job better.

I disagree a bit with this point

Can a DM help people to be better divers. Yes. It can force people to improve buoyancy (shallow skills neutrally Buoyant) Having more situational awareness by guiding divers, and because DMC's are forced to interact with clients more then inner confidence can be gained.

That said, if anyone promises to do it in 2-3 weeks, you'll do nothing more than pay money, get some skills checked off by attendance and get a bit of plastic.

I refuse to teach DM in less than 40 days

If you’re hoping to become a part-time pro, forget it. Plenty of other people do the job better.
If you’re hoping to have a holiday, don’t waste it dragging around tanks and showing people how to suck on a regulator - just go diving.

Totally agree with this

Also for people considering it, Don't forget on top of course fees, you'll need to pay PADI Pro membership, and (depending on your location) Liability Insurance. Every 2 years you'll need to re take EFR. These are ongoing costs. If you're not prepared to remain in teaching status (thus are basically a Rescue Diver with an Out of date card) why bother.

DM is a great course for you to find out if teaching is for you, or if you want a guaranteed way of increasing your dive count (not on a 2 week course) otherwise spend your money wisely on either more diving or perhaps a Tec 40

 

[ChuckP]

That said, if anyone promises to do it in 2-3 weeks, you'll do nothing more than pay money, get some skills checked off by attendance and get a bit of plastic.

I refuse to teach DM in less than 40 days

I agree somewhat but - if you do anymore than the basic class, you should intern in an area where you'll be practicing. There's sooo much to being a great dive master that you really should intern where ever you want to work. Depending on the area, a couple hundred dives will get you closer. You'll probably always be learning though.

I think the biggest thing that DM adds is the customer/student interaction. It's the easy way to find out if that's truly what you want to do.

I have a dive master card, I consider myself a more confident, more knowledgeable diver but not an overall "dive master".

 

[sigxbill]

Can a DM help people to be better divers. Yes. It can force people to improve buoyancy (shallow skills neutrally Buoyant) Having more situational awareness by guiding divers, and because DMC's are forced to interact with clients more then inner confidence can be gained.

DM is for improving buoyancy? One should already have good buoyancy prior to DM. If improving buoyancy is the goal, then gue fundamentals or utd Essentials will do that way better! And DM "situational awareness" is different than personal diving awareness, because DM awareness is all about taking care of customers.

I am glad you finally learned buoyancy in your DM class, but DM is a diving professional orientation class. Anything else added is remedial learning.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I am glad you finally learned buoyancy in your DM class, but DM is a diving professional orientation class. Anything else added is remedial learning

Where did I say that I needed to learn buoyancy on my DM course or went in with bad buoyancy?

Before I went started the course I'd already achieved BSAC Black standard (deviation no greater than 0.3m while task loaded) and was certified for Accelerated Deco (BSAC again). So stop with your sarcasm.

My point is that while performing the 24 skills, while neutral in a shallow pool (2.5m) You'll need to refine you breath control to maintain neutral buoyancy while performing the skills slowly and clearly.

So if done properly DMT's will see an improvement in their buoyancy control.

I ensure my DMT's can make a blue water stop at 3m, using only a visual reference but no holding onto a line or reel and in trim while conducting tasks

 

[Dan_P]

I disagree a bit with this point

Can a DM help people to be better divers. Yes. It can force people to improve buoyancy (shallow skills neutrally Buoyant) Having more situational awareness by guiding divers, and because DMC's are forced to interact with clients more then inner confidence can be gained.

That said, if anyone promises to do it in 2-3 weeks, you'll do nothing more than pay money, get some skills checked off by attendance and get a bit of plastic.

I refuse to teach DM in less than 40 days

I hear you.

And yes, a DM IDC can be used to develop one's own personal diving skill - my point, however, is that - in my opinion - the DM IDC is really not a good place to teach people how to dive, because they really should be buttoned up tight upon entry to the DM IDC;

If I spend a teaching education on developing basic diving skills, then logic dictates there must be deficiencies elsewhere, all else being equal.
I think that an Open Water Diver who has poor bouyancy skills has been royally ripped off, and I think that a DMT with poor bouyancy skills is in the wrong class for the essentials/fundamentals/basics of scuba diving.
They're there to learn to teach well, not dive well.

That's my opinion, although nothing novel

 

[Diving Dubai]

the DM IDC is really not a good place to teach people how to dive, because they really should be buttoned up tight upon entry to the DM IDC;

I couldn't agree more.

They get to perfect their existing skills not learn those they should have as you say.

Unfortunately in the real world... This is why I believe DM is a minimum of 40 days, because I end up having to do remedial work before hand. I always take them out on a "fun dive" before we start, which I say isn't' assessed - of course it is, I want to know what I'm dealing with and the debrief is often a wake up call.

The DM course isn't cheap so I want my candidates to really benefit from it and learn and perfect new skills those wishing for a fast course to get a card are just cheating themselves