Howdy

[IDMike]

My name is Mike and I'm almost a scuba diver.
(I've completed the NAUI e-learning and am getting my pool sessions and dives done within the next couple of weeks.)

I took most of a PADI course a few years back, but didn't get to finish because of work scheduling conflicts. Anyway, I'm very happy with the NAUI course work and can't wait to start diving our local Lake Pend'Oreille. I've been snorkeling in it for years now, but have always been in love with scuba diving.

I have a question for you all. I'm 25, and considering going back to college. Previously I studied Geology with a minor emphasis in Communications. I loved the mineral identification field work and excelled at it. I think ideally I would like to move towards a job where I can combine my passion for scuba diving with my love of rocks and artistic qualities. However, I have no idea really what kind of jobs would be out there. I've read around on here and understand that being exclusively an instructor or DM is highly competitive and unrealistic - but surely there must be other job opportunities out there. Any help would be awesome and I'm open to looking into just about anything. You could say I'm the adventurous type.

 

[gypsyjim]

Hi Mike, welcome to SB. and congrats ahead of time, as it sounds like you will do well.

As for your employment question, I haven't a clue, but it you start a new thread in another forum, with a part of that query in the title, you might get a better response than in Greetings.

Good luck. It was an interest in rocks and minerals in college that got me into making jewelery. Maybe you can find a way to study the geology of UW volcanic structures and deposits?

 

[drrich2]

I've read around on here and understand that being exclusively an instructor or DM is highly competitive and unrealistic - but surely there must be other job opportunities out there.

From what other people I took to be knowledgeable have posted in scuba career-themed threads on this forum before, I'd say highly competitive in that there may be an over-supply so high competition for choice positions, and unrealistic in terms of most making a good living solely from scuba instruction, by contemporary U.S. standards of material wealth & security (e.g.: high pay, pension plan, paid health insurance, etc...).

Explain how it's unrealistic, and perhaps people can help you better. If you think becoming a scuba instructor is an unattainable dream, I don't think so. If you don't see making enough money being one to support your lifestyle, you may be right about that, but then we'd need to know what minimum income level you're after.

Richard.

 

[IDMike]

I could explain how it's unrealistic, but I won't as that would be revealing a lot about my life and goals and I prefer not to do so.

What I'm after is finding out different avenues of work where familiarity with scuba diving could be an asset, and/or an integral part of the job.

Sorry if I didn't make that clear in the first post.