I'm done with teaching. It's time.

[TMHeimer]

I have taught for over 18 years and teach in the mid-atlantic area which is very seasonal. For me I try to make at least $10 an hour after expenses as a part timer. I love diving and I am able to keep my gear current with key-man rates and do trips to travel destinations world wide at budget rates for being the dive leader. Its hard to put a value on that. I have a family of 4 to support and need additional income. IMO, Unless you are in the keys, south Florida, Texas coast or west coast you are likely going to need additional income or inherit it. If you join a big shop you will need experience and ability to teach specialties to improve your income. There is a saying that if you want to make a million in dive ops, start with three million. Dont mean to be a buzz kill just reality. There are about 2000 working hours a year. You need to make $17.50 each hour to make $35k before taxes, insurance, car, rent..... Is that enough to live on? You need to work in a shop or multiple shops or crew on boats when ever you are not diving. Teach for enjoyment, experience and the love of diving. There are some risks both financial and hyperbaric but its worth it.

Oh yeah, I understand what you're saying. But you do come away from your teaching nicely in the black doing that, correct? I made about the same ($10 CAD) an hour, assisted on only 3-4 OW courses a Summer and came out in the black after insurance & PADI membership.

 

[Cthippo]

It's really discouraging to hear the steady drip that the RSTC and WRSTC have no teeth. Short of some legal action against individual certifying agencies (probably way out-of-kilter in cost effectiveness), the only recourse in the US I can think of would be through facilitating the filing of individual complaints with the US Better Business Bureau. Obviously this would only cover US experiences. It would be a somewhat diffuse and piece-mealed process requiring a persistent stare at the problems by an organization resourced to pay attention while perhaps only yielding modest impacts on a certifying agency's culture.

I have a feeling the BBB would have a hard time wrapping it's collective head around this issue. You paid for training, you got training that (barely) met the industry-wide standards. Trying to explain that those standards aren't really good enough to a generalist agency is probably a bridge too far.

Absent a whole series of deaths like the Yellowstone one, I just don't see it happening.

 

[Tracy]

Short of some legal action against individual certifying agencies (probably way out-of-kilter in cost effectiveness), the only recourse in the US I can think of would be through facilitating the filing of individual complaints with the US Better Business Bureau.

I am very curious how that would help?
Better Business Bureau is an advertising company that you pay for ratings. They aren't a regulating agency.

 

[ChefMatt]

Thank you for your teaching, and comments over the years on this board. Regards,

 

[diver_pirate]

That’s not the way it works.

I may not understand it correctly but the agencies I looked at was DAN and PADI's agency and one other who's name I do not recall but they all had similar terms.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Oh yeah, I understand what you're saying. But you do come away from your teaching nicely in the black doing that, correct? I made about the same ($10 CAD) an hour, assisted on only 3-4 OW courses a Summer and came out in the black after insurance & PADI membership.

Did you figure in travel expenses, gasoline to and from the sites, wear and tear on the vehicle, food, lodging, etc.?
What about time spent filling out certs and course paperwork?
Cost of replacement/servicing gear?

How much was insurance? Had I renewed my instructor insurance would have been $900 USD this year. Plus business insurance $400, DAN dive insurance $115, Instructor dues of 170 bucks.

True, I did make the decision the last two years to never take more than 2 people at a time for classes. Then Covid shot that in the ass as well.
Then my work schedule changed and cut the number of classes I could offer.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I’d really like the RSTC to see it as an important barometer reading of the industry. When a seasoned professional instructor at the very point of achieving influential reach instead calls it quits because of the deterioration of the industry’s instructional culture, that should be a warning flag. It makes wonder how much each certifying agency balances between new instructor recruitment and veteran instructor retention. Maybe wondering is unnecessary. In defense of some certifying agencies, my sense is Paul Toomer has thought about retention and I'm confident Jarrod Jablonski has spent time on the topic.



It's really discouraging to hear the steady drip that the RSTC and WRSTC have no teeth. Short of some legal action against individual certifying agencies (probably way out-of-kilter in cost effectiveness), the only recourse in the US I can think of would be through facilitating the filing of individual complaints with the US Better Business Bureau. Obviously this would only cover US experiences. It would be a somewhat diffuse and piece-mealed process requiring a persistent stare at the problems by an organization resourced to pay attention while perhaps only yielding modest impacts on a certifying agency's culture.

Flagging for @Darcy Kieran cognizance and comment.

Even if the RSTC or WRSTC chose to see it, the way their rules are set up, there is little chance of anything changing. They are set up so that any member, can veto any action the rest of the board might choose to take. And that action dies unless the veto'ing agency can be brought around. The majority has no say in what goes on.
And since we have clearly seen over the years blatant disregard for the guidelines based on the number and manner of deaths, injuries, video evidence all over the net of insufficiently trained divers being issued certs, what action has either body taken against any of the agencies to force them to bring the shops/operations/instructors in line? None. Nada. Zip. Why? Because they can't.
The agency they would want to take action against would veto the action and there's nothing the rest could do. Unless it's a small new agency. They might get kicked to the curb because it wouldn't hurt the bottom line.
But the big boys? Founding members? Nah. Nothing will ever happen to them. At least by actions of the RSTC and WRSTC.

 

[BoltSnap]

Had I renewed my instructor insurance would have been $900 USD this year. Plus business insurance $400

$900 for instructor's insurance?? Why? Is this the standard insurance cost in the US now? What is the "Business insurance"?

 

[Superlyte27]

I may not understand it correctly but the agencies I looked at was DAN and PADI's agency and one other who's name I do not recall but they all had similar terms.

I promise I understand it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

$900 for instructor's insurance?? Why? Is this the standard insurance cost in the US now? What is the "Business insurance"?

Yep. 899 Through DAN for liability insurance. That's at the $1million coverage level, 2 mil is like 1400.
First Dive only offers 2 mil and that's around 1400.
Business insurance is for reg servicing, gear rental, loss of equipment due to damage, theft, fire, etc.
More if you also need to cover a building.
PADI's carrier I was told offers an $800 policy for 500K of coverage.
Given that the average suit costs 1 mil plus to defend now according to the attorneys I have been consulted by on some things, 1 mil is pushing it. 500k? Might as well sign over everything to the plaintiff.