Hello from the UK!

[LivR95]

To be blunt you are a complete beginner and probably have no real idea about many aspects of diving. Before contemplating getting work as a divers you ought to get proper experience, not endless courses.

Diver education is a bit of a pyramid scheme resulting in lots of apparently qualified “professionals“ chasing very few jobs.

If you want to get experience join a club Find a club or centre many run club trips to warm destinations which would more than double your dive count. my branch as one in May, though you’d most likely not be experienced enough by then and better to gain experience gradually for a few month first.

Thanks Ken, lots of useful information. How does joining a club work? Do you pay a monthly/annual fee, and would most of the diving take place in a pool (other than the excursions you mention)? At the moment, I only have my own mask, so is there the option to use club kit? Thanks in advance

 

[LivR95]

Liv - you have lots of options but get your dive count up first.

If I was you and young again, I would have a chat with London School of Diving and get your dry suit and rescue qualifications, then head to Malta for Egypt for a few weeks and get your dive count up. Then I would pop over to Thailand, Indo or the Philippines and or possibly all three and get your dive master / instructor sorted. Then pop down to Aus on the under 30's visa and do some more

Girls that scuba is supposed to be a great group

Thanks for the advice! I’ve sent London School of Diving a message. I never really considered getting experience here as I live in a city, but this approach could be a good way to increase my confidence/skills. I’m just trying to consider the most cost effective way to up my dives

 

[KenGordon]

Thanks Ken, lots of useful information. How does joining a club work? Do you pay a monthly/annual fee, and would most of the diving take place in a pool (other than the excursions you mention)? At the moment, I only have my own mask, so is there the option to use club kit? Thanks in advance

My club is a branch of BSAC, the British Sub Aqua Club, which has been going since the 1950s. members pay an annual fee to BSAC (about £60) and a monthly one to their particular branch. In our paticular case that is £18.50 per month and covers us hiring a pool once a week, training kit purchases, servicing, gas etc for training and provides a float for boat charters. A day charter Is about £600 and a week in Scapa £8000 - the club takes the risk of not filling all the spaces.

Not all clubs are like this but we are setup to train people from scratch and have literally everything required. Kit is free for training to Ocean Diver level, after that there is a bit of a charge but never terribly expenaive. We even have a few drysuits to stretch the open water season. We do encourage people to buy kit but understand they may live in a small flat, not have a car etc, also people generally do better with choices made gradually with experience.

We do “sheltered water” training in a pool (hired from the council) and use various lakes for basic open water training. Some training can happen on proper fun dives Too. We have a schedule of next years diving in an excel file you can find linked from Dive List - Bermondsey BSAC - ignore the short Wordpress event list, that is not complete.

Most BSAC branches are similar in approach, some are bigger and better organised, some smaller and less able to provide facilities, some have their own boat. The general idea is a bunch of people getting together so they can go diving. To have continuity that means training new people too.

Ken

 

[Gareth J]

Malta has a lot of shore diving, which can make it quite economic if you are travelling with another diving friend.
However, initially, with your level of experience, you would do better to dive with a local guide.
The fish life has improved since the Maltese have become more conservation conscious. There are a lot of wreck sites (mostly sunk for divers).
Its an easy place to visit, they speak English, the food is good. The driving 'interesting', they do at least drive on the correct side of the road.

If you want to 'work' in diving, then generally being a DM is insufficient. Places are looking for an instructor with additional skills (Languages, Boat handling, Equipment maintenance/servicing qualifications, etc).
It is also notoriously a poor paying job, with long hours. There may be the upside of living (on the breadline) in Thailand (substitute any other 'dream location'), next to the sea.

There is an old saying in the dive industry, if you want to become a millionaire in the dive industry, start with 5 million!

 

[Gareth J]

If you are going to join a BSAC branch (or any dive club really). Check them out first.

Make sure they provide what you are looking for. If you want to continue training, make sure they have active instructors. If you want to go diving, make sure they have a diving calendar, and sufficient spaces for the members (you), and dives that you would be interested in (shallow enough/deep enough). Also, make sure they are your type of people. (Note - divers are strange folk at the best of times!)

I am also a BSAC diver. Having started many sunsets ago with PADI. I predominantly dive with my branch (but not exclusively), we do everything from dives under Swannage Pier, to trips to Shetland (or similar).

There is a link to BSAC in my signature at the bottom of my posts.

 

[Sìan48]

Hello I’m in London also.

I have found that most schools and clubs offer retreats where you are able to get some more dives done and some in much better places than the U.K. depending on where your able to commute to there are schools and clubs all over London and a bit of enquiring would let you know who you can potentially go away with and dive..

I’m not yet qualified but would love to take up the opportunity to go abroad with others.. there is always this boards Invasion to Cozumel you can also consider, again if I could I would go but for now I’m looking forward to when everyone returns and shares pictures and stories of their trip.

Good luck in your search and I’m glad to see other Londoners here

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]

It depends on your looks and personality. I heard the dive operators on the GBR are always on the lookout for paid internships.