Holding out on Roatan

[dontyouliketheparty]

Hey everyone,

I posted some few months back on the idea of travelling to Roatan for a DM internship with a possible career...Although presumptuous I thought it possible. I hope the political situation finds a resolve soon & I hope tourism resumes as normal once it does..I don't want to change my destination, but need to dive in the best possible employable location..I totally understand Roatan is safe for tourists..I've delayed my trip to September praying it's all cleared up by then..


Lee

 

[danktex]

Hey everyone,

I posted some few months back on the idea of travelling to Roatan for a DM internship with a possible career...Although presumptuous I thought it possible. I hope the political situation finds a resolve soon & I hope tourism resumes as normal once it does..I don't want to change my destination, but need to dive in the best possible employable location..I totally understand Roatan is safe for tourists..I've delayed my trip to September praying it's all cleared up by then..


Lee

Roatan is a great place to do your DM. You will get great education and experience but you will have a hard time finding work without an instructor rating.

 

[dontyouliketheparty]

Cheers Danktex,

yeah I plan to study to AI, myself and a friend, we both have never properly dived before and are really excited about the prospect, we're willing to stay on the island indefintely and know we will be required to be certified for atleast 6 months before taking the instructor course...the catch is I'm doing this so I can hopefully be employed by the centre that trains me..If tourism hasn't improved in Roatan by mid Sept 09 I will have to look elsewhere which would be a real shame. I've had my heart set on Roatan for more than 6 months..

Lee

 

[Doc]

...the catch is I'm doing this so I can hopefully be employed by the centre that trains me..

"Employment" as a dive Instructor is an interesting proposition anywhere, but on Roatan, certain things are magnified and make your goal very difficult.

You have to first buy into one of my "Bitter Truths of Diving".... Scuba diving, in terms of the professional path, is a pyramid shaped diagram. The best chance at survival (employment) occurs as you pass towards the top-point and well beyond the basic OWSI level.

There are a few good Scuba schools on Roatan, but they (as do most such paradise-located schools) share the same problem- economy of scale.

There is enough traffic to keep a Course Director busy enough that he can run a successful operation- but only if he is willing to wear a DM's hat when need be. This puts the then redundant DM's and AI, OWSI's at a real employment disadvantage.

Translation? If you are a CD and not right-now teaching (anything), you better hope that there are trips for you to lead. So- once a CD trains you to be a DM or OWSI, once you pay to assume the role of DM on a dive that he is offering to divers, once you have attained that rank, then the CD will take over that role if he can and save money. Everybody likes to keep busy.

How does this affect you? If you achieve your OWSI in a low volume area, then you will be competing for jobs that can also be grabbed by guys with DM status... the established business owner Instructors are already there ahead of you and have a stream of students.

This is where it helps to look like one of 007's Girls in a rubber suit. Surprisingly, a disproportionate number of cute girls seem to acquire dive instructor skills very quickly, making them more employable than any one else. :shocked2:

Get your OWSI wherever- Roatan is just fine, but try and get work at heavy volume areas such as Cayman, Nassau, Freeport/Lucaya, Caribbean Liveabaoards. These are high turnover and a few places where a British citizenship might not be so much an issue. Places such as Cozumel might seem to fit into that mold until you consider the level of competition for those jobs and also the lack of need for any certifications.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

I am a course director on Roatan, and certainly don't have time to either DM or teach recreational diving, with all the confined and classroom work I do, not to mention hours replying to emails, my dive time is strictly for fun. Over 90% of the instructors i have trained have found work on the island.

 

[diversteve]

Will would be my choice. I've observed him teaching. CTD is full of British Ex-pats (with the odd Canadian - not to say that Tree is odd...lol) And the West End is where I'd want to be for any length of time on Roatan.

 

[Doc]

I am a course director on Roatan.....Over 90% of the instructors i have trained have found work on the island.

Will comes highly recommended, but let's do some math. If 90% of his many OWSI students "found work on the island", the place has to be over-run with dive instructors.

But that isn't the case.

Absolutely, Will is an excellent choice for your IDC, but apparently we disagree on the hopes for ongoing local employment.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

Since the average instructor only hangs around for three months and the place is teeming with students all needing instructors - The math adds up.

 

[RTBDiver]

Will comes highly recommended, but let's do some math. If 90% of his many OWSI students "found work on the island", the place has to be over-run with dive instructors.

But that isn't the case.

Absolutely, Will is an excellent choice for your IDC, but apparently we disagree on the hopes for ongoing local employment.

Roatanman,
He said that they found work on the island which may be true. Heck, I was never looking and have been offered a few teaching jobs. I believe many Newly certified instructors do find work, what I don't doubt is that the percentage drops drastically when it comes to those that stick around long after they realize what they will make and under what conditions. Then the whole legal issue becomes a role with VISA's and sponsorship and taxes and all that stuff.

 

[Doc]

Since the average instructor only hangs around for three months....

If an average instructor stays for 3 months, how long do the better ones hang around? Six months... or do they just skeedaddle?