Hi,
No idea what forum to post this under so MODS please feel free to switch.
I pretty much retired last year at the age of 45. Seems great doesn’t it. But life is never that simple so I’m looking at something else to do. Something that doesn’t involve board rooms or offices.
I’m a DM with about 1k dives in all types of waters and was a live aboard dive guide for a while, in some challenging conditions/environments.
Am I too old to become an instructor as a genuine career change? For the next few years til my kids are fully grown it would be an instructor in the UK where you don’t typically get paid. By the time I’m 50 kids will be gone so México or Egypt to live and instruct (and where my existing money would go a lot further) would be amazing.
But would anyone hire a 50 yr old Instructor or even DM? I’d have qualified a fair few people by then I’d imagine but just wondering what views operators would take on hiring someone at 50. I’m in good physical condition (apart from a recent injury).
Thanks,
John
John,
In principle I think being older has some distinct advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is life experience. The main disadvantage is physical endurance and looking older, which some employers won't want. Can you do it at that age? Yes. Should you want to? No so sure.
I think the answer to this question depends on two parameters:
1) what do you mean by "instructor" and
2) what do you mean by "career"
I taught scuba diving for quite a while (15 years in the industry) and recently stopped at the age of 52. In my case I gave lessons part time as a "hobby job" in addition to a 40-50 hour work schedule at my day job. Initially I really liked the "down time" because diving is relaxing to me and giving lessons was a way to structure getting relaxation every week and to pay forward in the hobby that in some ways defines me as a person.
.... There came a point, however, at which I was doing most of the OW courses for the shop I was working for. There were a lot of students, a lot of trying to get things done in the hours and days that I had available and a lot of weekends "working". That's what ended it for me. I started seeing diving as "work" so instead of working 40-50 hours a week I was working 60-70 hours a week with no downtime at all. This is probably something that a lot of "hobby" instructors can relate to. In short, I got burned out.
The same thing can happen to you working in a resort. A good friend of mine did stints working in Thailand during the high season and needed a "vacation" when the season ended. He is older than me but the amount of physical effort involved in diving multiple times almost every day is something that you can handle for a matter of weeks but only with difficulty for a matter of months unless you are VERY fit for your age.
I'm saying this to illustrate that there are differences in what people mean when they say "instructor". I think what you are suggesting is what my buddy did as opposed to how I did it. I know for a fact that even with 15 years of experience I would have trouble keeping up with the tempo in a resort setting. Part time... sure... but only then if I was also working my day-job part time.
As for the understanding of a "career". A career is both a vocation and a source of income. As a vocation you can certainly become a pro at your age. If, however, you intend to be paid even minimum wage per hour for your efforts then working as a part time instructor isn't realistic at all and working at a resort will probably require severe changes to your life style. If you have anyone who is financially dependent upon you and you need an income in order to fulfill those commitments then becoming a scuba instructor is unwise, in my opinion. Taking a minimum wage job at McDonalds pays you more money than the vast majority of scuba professionals make in practice.
R..