Job prospects for masters/instructors in Kansai

[BabyFugu]

Hi all,

I have kind of a specific question for you Zen Divers. I'm planning to do my divemaster certification, and possibly move on to instructor position in the future. It seems like there are quite a few divers around the Kansai area who are looking for a dive shop that has an English speaking divermaster/instructor, without much luck. Indeed, the last time I was in Wakayama, I wasn't able to locate any dive shops that offered dive courses in English either. What do you think are the job prospects for an English speaking divermaster/instructor in Kansai? I'm sure there are lots of foreigners around who would like to do some courses closeby, such as in Wakayama and Shirahama. Think I might be able to join a dive shop specifically to train English speakers?

 

[TJO]

There is a big expat/foreign community here in Kobe/Osaka/Kyoto and you should probably ask one of the bigger shops about this idea, or start your own dive shop and be prepared to spend a year to get the business going. I do not think either will be easy though. The dive sites in kansai are pretty good with much more variety and less crowded than Tokyo/Izu. Most boat and other operators speak little English so Japanese language skills are crucial.

 

[BabyFugu]

Hey TGO, thanks for the response. Yes it does seem like there are a lot of divers around Kansai and many dive shops too, and a need for English-speaking staff. I agree it might be worth talking to one of the bigger shops about targeting gaikokujin clients. From what I've seen, the diving in Wakayama is mostly shore based (unless anyone can confirm otherwise?) so not sure about the need to communicate with boat operators. My Japanese is decent -- not amazing but decent -- so maybe I stand a chance! Anyway just a future idea for now, considering I am not a dive master yet..... but a girl's gotta think ahead, right!

 

[TJO]

Hi,

May be a good idea for you to come over here for other work and then gradually go more and more into diving. The good diving here are all boat, the beaches I know here in Kansai are mainly for training and shallow. You still need to talk to the shops in Japanese though. But if you speak it.. great! Sorry, can't advice on the girl stuff ;-)

 

[BabyFugu]

Oh I am not moving there specifically to look for a job -- I'm moving back to Japan with my husband (who is Japanese) and will be based in Kansai. I was just wondering, for the future, what my odds were for breaking into the local dive scene.

Have you been diving in Wakayama, TJO? Beautiful waters.....