Hi All

[Helga]

I'm Helga and I'm a 44 year old female. Qualified as a DM in 1997. Unfortunately have not worked as a DM since '97 when I backpacked and worked my way around SE Asia as a DM. Life got in the way and diving was purely for pleasure for many years. I lived in the Cayman Islands for 8 years so diving was a given and I finally decided it was time to kick the office job into touch and do my IDC. Unfortunately since then I have not been able to get a job as I am over the age of 35! Um ...

So I have decided to join this forum to see how other people do it as surely 44 is not considered "over the hill" in the dive industry?! Just over a year ago I was doing half ironman triathlons and half marathons and if I can do those then surely I can work as a dive instructor

I believe where there is a will there is a way. I just haven't been able to find a way in the last 8 months. I really, really do not want to go back to my 9-5 day job so any advice will be gratefully appreciated.

I speak both German and English, am passionate about diving and teaching people about the reefs and oceans ... did I mention I'm passionate about diving???

I have no preference with respect to where I work, having said that I have yet to dive with a dry suit (a friend said it's an "experience), but am also willing to try new things. I have considered heading to Thailand next month - I'm currently in Germany - and just see where the chips fall.

Look forward to chatting about everything, and nothing.

Helga

 

[spike0407]

Welcone and good luck Helga

 

[andrei_c]

Welcome, Helga!
"over the hill" at 44? hm, check this out:
Oldest scuba diver (from shore)

all the best from a diver older than you

 

[drbill]

Welcome to ScubaBoard.

44 is a spring chicken in my book... I'm almost 67 and have been diving now for 52 years. I know of DMs and instructors in southern California who are in their 40s and 50s and even a few in their 60s. For a dive op to assume that someone over 35 is too old just doesn't compute with me.

 

[DownbelowDiver]

Helga....

Welcome.. My name is Paul and I am a Master Instructor at Dive Downbelow in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.

As an employer of Dive Professionals I can 100% guarantee that you are most definitely NOT too old to work as a dive instructor. Some advantages to a company of someone slightly older:

You know what you want in life.
A positive influence on younger employees
Student divers will, initially, have more trust with an older person
More life experience
Generally more reliable
More stamina

Of course there are many more. We have had many aged 40+ candidates do their IDC here with us who are now great dive instructors spread all across the world.

I say do it! You won't regret it.

Feel free to contact me for any advice or information...we offer fantastic internships in an amazing location where you can live a beach lifestyle by day and a chilled relaxed city lifestyle at night.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Oh Lord Helga, I hope you're not too old, cause if you are, then I must be dead and buried.

I'd say the majority of the Dive Instructors here in the Midwest United States are your age or older. The guy I did my OW pool session with is like 70.

Good luck with your job search, and at 44 you are way too young to be old.

Best,
-Tim

 

[iamrushman]

howdy and welcome from Florida USA............i see an offer from downbelowdiver already...scuba board works fast.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Hi again Helga,

Just saw an episode of "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau" from 1976 where he himself dove the wreck of the HMHS Britannic in the Aegean Sea, off Greece. He dove down 370 feet to the wreck, at age 66, with tanks of Helium, Nitrogen and Oxygen, and his trademark red knit hat instead of a dive hood. Amazing.

So as far as being too old Helga, NO WAY!!!

Best of luck with your job search.

-Tim

 

[beaverdivers]

Welcome to SCUBAboard!

Good Luck & Good Diving.