Dressel Internships

[Dive2Deco]

Work: 8am - 5:30pm, 1 dive a day and the rest is spent selling excursions around the pool, hot hot hot work, can/will become very tedious, especially if they give you a crap base to work at. You can make a small percentage on each sale (2%) which could mount up if you're consistent.

Training: Depending on your current level.. 6 months for OW to DM further 6 months for DM to OWSI. IDC was good fun and good course directors. So all in all 1 year, zero to hero. I would never recommend OW - DM, waste of time. Become DM first, that way you can lead dives and earn tips after 2 months of internship. DM - OWSI is worth while if you haven't got the money to pay for it upfront.. if you have the cash, don't waste your time with an internship.

Expectations: Expect to get your DM or OWSI if you put the work/ time in. If you don't like how the management is/ treats you, tough sh1t, you're a dime a dozen and can be replaced at the drop of a hat. Expect not to enjoy the job very much but... you will probably make some amazing friends.

I personally give the program a fair 5.9/10. If they had kept their word and provided employment 8/10

 

[t4e]

we dove with them on 3 different trips, and as a dive shop i love them

i can see the 2 language requirement, Mexico would be Spanish and Dominican would be German, still doesn't make it fair that they don't mention that as a requirement for the "guaranteed" employment

 

[iztok]

Basically you work for 6 months to cover $3k worth or $6k/year or way less than minimal wage. Granted it gives you good view of how much is scuba professional actually worth.

 

[Kd9uj]

Can you talk more about the living/eating/free time conditions? I only know English and minimal italian...is that bad? Also I'm still trying to decide if this DM internship is worth my time. I'm not doing it to enter the business. I'm graduating university and I just want to do something for the diving experience with minimal cost...I don't mind working as long as I also am getting down time and free time.

 

[carla6565]

Work: 8am - 5:30pm, 1 dive a day and the rest is spent selling excursions around the pool, hot hot hot work, can/will become very tedious, especially if they give you a crap base to work at. You can make a small percentage on each sale (2%) which could mount up if you're consistent.Training: Depending on your current level.. 6 months for OW to DM further 6 months for DM to OWSI. IDC was good fun and good course directors. So all in all 1 year, zero to hero. I would never recommend OW - DM, waste of time. Become DM first, that way you can lead dives and earn tips after 2 months of internship. DM - OWSI is worth while if you haven't got the money to pay for it upfront.. if you have the cash, don't waste your time with an internship.Expectations: Expect to get your DM or OWSI if you put the work/ time in. If you don't like how the management is/ treats you, tough sh1t, you're a dime a dozen and can be replaced at the drop of a hat. Expect not to enjoy the job very much but... you will probably make some amazing friends.I personally give the program a fair 5.9/10. If they had kept their word and provided employment 8/10

hi! thanks for your post... I wonder if you could help me, I am thinkin on doin the DM 4 months internship + paid IDC, cause I dont have any logged dive and the internship will allow me to get the 100 I need for the IDC for free, so basically this is the reason why im doin it, do you think it's worth it? and payin $3060 for the DM - IDC course is a fair price?Also ppl I lived in Playa del Carmen for 3 months and its much more fun than Cozumel.

 

[Dive2Deco]

Hi all, thanks for taking the time to read and reply.

Languages.. English is a must! Spanish would be great for Mexico (French too - loads of frenchies in Mehico), anything else will always be an advantage but not always necessary. I only speak english and worked for the company for a year (6 months to IDC then 6 months getting experience as an instructor)

If you are not DM... Get your DM cert first! going as non pro will only mean no potential of earning tips and no leading dives ever. if you have no dives and want to rack them up at dressel... good luck, you may or may not get to dive everyday. I know guys who did pool demo (selling at the pool side and offering free scuba in the pool) everyday for weeks! BRUTAL! trust me! you dont want that.

Living conditions... Not bad. as an intern they provide you with what you need, a bed, a shower (hot water may not be provided) and a roof.
I was in Jamaica for 6 months which was pretty sweet. lived in a place called "Sea Castles" in Montego Bay, rad place. on the beach, beautiful environment and lots of insects. Hotel food in Jamaica is very good. you an eat in the hotel for lunch and staff food is good.
Mexico - Hot as fu&k! no aircon in interns apartments, so prepair to sweat when you brush your teeth. Hotel food in Mexico is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING! i lost around 15kg's in 6months of working here because of it was so bad. i mean bad! eeeeew.

If youre thinking of working in Cozumel. you WILL NEED AN FM3 WORK VISA! incredible place. best place to work for dressel in the world by far. best food. best diving. incredible.

at the end of all this... it is worth doing if you are already a DM, looking to get some experience in a resort enviroment (which is beneficial to all instructors and the rate of customers is high!). If you have a year or 2 that you want to spend with pretty cool people this is a good way to spend it. but once again be warned, Dressel Divers is owned by a very money hungry Spaniard and run by a German. they will work you 6 days a week and may ask you to come in on your day off if its busy (this is expected in most dive shops throughout the world though). you can get fired for having a sip of water during demo times, crazy i know, but true.

Any other questions please ask. sorry if it takes a little while to respond.

 

[ElGaucho]

hi! thanks for your post... I wonder if you could help me, I am thinkin on doin the DM 4 months internship + paid IDC, cause I dont have any logged dive and the internship will allow me to get the 100 I need for the IDC for free, so basically this is the reason why im doin it, do you think it's worth it? and payin $3060 for the DM - IDC course is a fair price?Also ppl I lived in Playa del Carmen for 3 months and its much more fun than Cozumel.

Lemme hop in this thread and give you a better idea. Go somewhere like Utila (take a look at UDC), and you will dive everyday, 2 to 3 dives a day, no extra cost, boats are always going out, it's a nice little island, pretty cheap, lots of fun. You will get to your 100 dives in no time at all. Im sure the pricing will be competitive. And you don't have to sell anything. Just dive, learn, have fun. DM programmes are very well run, the IDC is very good. I would push you to seek training in other places and disciplines (cave, tech, etc) to really become a good instructor. But from a DM/IDC perspective, I don't think you can beat well ran programs.

For Mexico, you can look at ProDive (ran by Angel) in PDC or Ander's GoPro also ran in PDC. Don't waste your time and money on sale-based slave-working companies like Dressel.