Christiaan Smal
New
I sit a lot doubt
I don't know if I want to stay with Padi
You help me.
I don't know if I want to stay with Padi
You help me.
I want to know if Pro is for me
- Thread starter Christiaan Smal
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What reason do you have for going Pro? I assume you mean doing an instructor course.
once you know the reasons you want to go pro, then we can help you decide which agency will work best for you.
once you know the reasons you want to go pro, then we can help you decide which agency will work best for you.
Christiaan,
I’m sharing my opinion to provide you one person’s perspective.
PADI’s focus is on becoming an instructor. They project this focus by inviting divers to become an instructor and “be part of the elite”.
With other certifying associations, there’s not as much emphasis on becoming an instructor.
Perhaps just being a really proficient diver who can adapt to different dive objectives and conditions is the best goal.
Although dive buddies have encouraged me to become an instructor, I have no interest. I want to enjoy my dives, not babysit.
Also, when a diver announces he’s a PADI instructor as if it’s proof enough of his expertise, I typically am not impressed. I have met very few instructors who I would consider “elite”.
PADI’s not a bad organization and PADI instructors are not bad people but, for me, PADI could use a tune up of their image and focus.
My opinion is informed by my own professional experiences in training and an English lady who has been a PADI instructor for over 30 years.
I’m sharing my opinion to provide you one person’s perspective.
PADI’s focus is on becoming an instructor. They project this focus by inviting divers to become an instructor and “be part of the elite”.
With other certifying associations, there’s not as much emphasis on becoming an instructor.
Perhaps just being a really proficient diver who can adapt to different dive objectives and conditions is the best goal.
Although dive buddies have encouraged me to become an instructor, I have no interest. I want to enjoy my dives, not babysit.
Also, when a diver announces he’s a PADI instructor as if it’s proof enough of his expertise, I typically am not impressed. I have met very few instructors who I would consider “elite”.
PADI’s not a bad organization and PADI instructors are not bad people but, for me, PADI could use a tune up of their image and focus.
My opinion is informed by my own professional experiences in training and an English lady who has been a PADI instructor for over 30 years.
I an not a PADI instructor, I am instead a CMAS *** instructor. However, a number of my former students later became PADI instructors and worked in resorts for years. A couple of them even built their own resort in Tanzania!
PADI stands for "Professional Association of Diving Instructors": so, as already pointed out by NothingClever, PADI's focus is about creating a network of professional instructors (and affiliated diving centers and equipment shops):
If you want to become pro (that is, being an instructor as your main monthly income, and living on it) PADI is definitely the reference organization, worldwide.
If instead, as in my case, you have another job and want to maintain it, and you want to became an instructor just as a part-rime activity, there are other possibilities, which are less focused on being a PRO (which means squeezing from your students as much money as possible, because it sustains your life and your family).
You should evaluate very carefully what means being a PRO: it means that you will live of the money you get from this activity, and your main goal will be getting money, not enjoying your dives...
That was not my goal, I had already a job which I love, albeit not very profitful (I am an academic), and I wanted to become an instructor just for being able to stay 2-3 months per year in a nice resort, making fun dives, being paid instead of spending a fortune (which I do not have)...
So, yes, you made yourself the correct question: going PRO is for me? I fear that only you can answer...
PADI stands for "Professional Association of Diving Instructors": so, as already pointed out by NothingClever, PADI's focus is about creating a network of professional instructors (and affiliated diving centers and equipment shops):
If you want to become pro (that is, being an instructor as your main monthly income, and living on it) PADI is definitely the reference organization, worldwide.
If instead, as in my case, you have another job and want to maintain it, and you want to became an instructor just as a part-rime activity, there are other possibilities, which are less focused on being a PRO (which means squeezing from your students as much money as possible, because it sustains your life and your family).
You should evaluate very carefully what means being a PRO: it means that you will live of the money you get from this activity, and your main goal will be getting money, not enjoying your dives...
That was not my goal, I had already a job which I love, albeit not very profitful (I am an academic), and I wanted to become an instructor just for being able to stay 2-3 months per year in a nice resort, making fun dives, being paid instead of spending a fortune (which I do not have)...
So, yes, you made yourself the correct question: going PRO is for me? I fear that only you can answer...
FreeFlyFreak
Contributor
Is the question should you become a pro?
Or is the question should I stay with PADI if I become a pro?
I cant speak to the second question but you have a couple good answers already.
I have however turned two hobbies into paying jobs.
One worked out, the other did not.
One was flying. I still do it professionally.
The second one was skydiving, I started to work as a camera man part time on my days off from my job to get paid to jump, instead of paying to jump.
In the end I found it ruined skydiving for me. It no longer was something I enjoyed. It became a job.
It took all the fun out of it.
In the end I went back to paying to do my fun jumps.
Then it became fun again.
Was it because of the order?
Maybe.
I'll never know.
I could have be a skydiving pro with a flying habit, instead of vice versa.
A hobby you turn into a job can be the best job you have ever had. Or you might just end up ruining the enjoyment of your hobby. You will never know unless you try.
Or is the question should I stay with PADI if I become a pro?
I cant speak to the second question but you have a couple good answers already.
I have however turned two hobbies into paying jobs.
One worked out, the other did not.
One was flying. I still do it professionally.
The second one was skydiving, I started to work as a camera man part time on my days off from my job to get paid to jump, instead of paying to jump.
In the end I found it ruined skydiving for me. It no longer was something I enjoyed. It became a job.
It took all the fun out of it.
In the end I went back to paying to do my fun jumps.
Then it became fun again.
Was it because of the order?
Maybe.
I'll never know.
I could have be a skydiving pro with a flying habit, instead of vice versa.
A hobby you turn into a job can be the best job you have ever had. Or you might just end up ruining the enjoyment of your hobby. You will never know unless you try.
Professional means that you shoulder other people's life. Your profit comes with very high responsibilities, accountability, and dedication.
If you don't want to take any responsibility, stay away from the Pro and just enjoy the beauty of the underwater world.
If you don't want to take any responsibility, stay away from the Pro and just enjoy the beauty of the underwater world.
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Side note-- of course there are countless PADI pros who work weekends and have "day jobs". In fact, most I've met in Canada & U.S. do that.
As pointed out, the basic question is do you like the idea of teaching people--and realize that you have to have the personality for that, and must realize that you are responsible for students, meaning you are working and not just doing what you want diving. And analyse the low pay that usually goes with it. Many DMs work for free (or perks/tips), a sore topic with me.
Apparently a majority of instructors get lousy pay, unless they get to a niche where they can teach specialties and charge a decent price, or work other shop jobs such as retail.
As pointed out, the basic question is do you like the idea of teaching people--and realize that you have to have the personality for that, and must realize that you are responsible for students, meaning you are working and not just doing what you want diving. And analyse the low pay that usually goes with it. Many DMs work for free (or perks/tips), a sore topic with me.
Apparently a majority of instructors get lousy pay, unless they get to a niche where they can teach specialties and charge a decent price, or work other shop jobs such as retail.
Yes, in the U.S. instructors are paid even worse than overseas and spend a lot of time in a retail shop selling gear. They usually have more than one job so they can pay the bills.
Instructors in general get very lousy pay for what we do. In many places this terrible pay is "made up for" by also offering free housing (sometimes shared accommodation) and a food allowance. Even so, it is hard to live on the salary of a basic scuba instructor.
being an instructor is all what people write , BUT it can be a great way to get paid for what you love ....like anything in life the better you are (more that you can teach ) the better you get paid , I worked in the islands for a winter I was the highest paid instructor BY FAR than the others at the center.... some of the other instructors didn't like it , I told them get more certs and years you can do it too so the sooner you take the plunge the better
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Actually, free housing and a food allowance (how much?) sounds not too bad. Perhaps if one enjoys the teaching it sounds pretty good. I suppose no disposable income to travel or indulge in other things you may like would be the downside. As well as no ability to save/invest for the future?
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