Making a living as an Instructor

[surfaceinterval]

AUJAX,

If you think you want to become an Instructor, then DO IT!! The dividens are priceless!!

Thirteen years ago I was at the same cross roads. I worked at the Toyota plant in Georgetown and was makeing a pretty good living. I gave it up and became an Instructor. As faith would have it, six months later I bought the Dive shop. I can honestly tell you that for the last thirteen years I have looked forward to going to work the next day.

The money thing will right itself in due time. I stayed broke financially in the beginning but rich in personal fullfillment. As experience starts to get on your side as time goes on the money thing will balance itself out also. I work in the lake tomorrow. My 10 hour day will pay $1800.00, you do the math. No, I'm not a commercial diver. I'm just another Scuba Instructor that has allowed his pay to catch up with some of his experience.

I could use a full time Instructor to help teach classes for me right now if I could find one.

The next step is up to you, Good Luck!!!!

 

[GQMedic]

Some people who take thier ITC or IDC (Depending on what agency, what it's called) know where they want to go, what they want to do, well before they even start. I did the more traditional approach, I spent 6 months in my ITC. I just became an instructor. So, I'm brand new.

I'm not really doing anything with it at this moment. A few shops tossed out thier offers to have me teach there as an independant, but, nothing's really caught my eye. There's been some talk from people abroad about working at resorts, etc on caribbean islands. So far, I've no solid leads. But, I've also not looked for any. So, the lack of result is on me. At this moment, I am enjoying the down time. I do have a private class going for a student, but I don't think I got into this to do private lessons. ITC was a very long six months for me. don't get me wrong, ITC is fun, but it is also very challenging, yet, Well worth it. However, you don't feel like THAT until it's over. During is a different feeling, *smiles* I won't ruin the surprise for you.

If you have a TRUE "wild hair" up "there" to be an instructor, well, that's the que this is for you. Think about it, and think about it some more, if it's something you can't dismiss, then, this is for you. As far as making a living, I've heard both, that nope, you nearly pay to teach people to dive, and I've heard from those who ifact do support a family, believe it or not, as instructors, even here in California.

Make some calls, line up your ducks, oh, and most definately get your money together, regardless if you finance this, or pay it out right, you will need $$$..More at some places, less at others..

 

[scubasean]

surfaceinterval once bubbled...


As experience starts to get on your side as time goes on the money thing will balance itself out also. I work in the lake tomorrow. My 10 hour day will pay $1800.00, you do the math. No, I'm not a commercial diver. I'm just another Scuba Instructor that has allowed his pay to catch up with some of his experience.

Your ten hour day (as an instructor) pays you $1800? (not gross receipts on equipment sold from which you need to deduct cost of goods sold, but wages earned)?

Makes me wonder if you have the one decent instructor job...(I'm not an instructor, and have no desire at this point, but have heard from many that you rarely can quit your day job to do it)

Cheers,

Sean

 

[jbichsel]

Started diving in 1989, became a DM in 1990. worked for a dive shop in Texas for gear and training instead of money (I had a full time job) for 9 years. Got away from diving for a couple of years after we moved to Colorado. Went to Hawaii this summer, went diving and got bit by the scuba bug hard!

In July I finished my training with my original instructor in Texas and am now an AI and EFRI, studying for my IE in December.

For the pas six years I have been self-employed doing CAD/CAM for my self instead of injection mold companies. Now I'm tired of sitting in front of a computer and telling my daughters that I need quiet to work.

Scuba could become a family business that we all enjoy. My wife has a great job with a division a major corporation, so I can afford to take my time and set this up well. I will be an independant instructor, and probably own a shop in the not too distant future.

Hopefully, we can retire to some tropical locale and run a dive operation there one day.

We are movers and shakers. Follow your dream.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

I hear that the average that an instructor makes for an OW cert is: 35.00 cdn for the class/pool time per student and 35.00 per student for the open water dives. Total of $70.00 per student for the whole course and most have a limit of 6 students per class.

 

[spotted-drum]

you can make a living for sure in a tropical destination. I have done it in several places. And a lot of places it is possible to just show up and find work. That way you know what you are getting into before you take the job. Though it does carry the extra risk of not finding work immediately.

In the US it is harder. I live in N. California now and it is next to impossible to live off it. However, I started teaching as an independent and am now at the stage where I make enough to support me. I know one other instructor who does this, but for everyone else it is a weekend hobby. But I'd rather make a living in the tropics so I'm selling up and moving. If you're interested, let me know!

 

[mogwai]

Have set off on my diving learning curve and find all these posts fascinating. Fancy doing the instructor bit, family and all. All i hear is, 'it's great, experience, worth it, but you won't get rich'.
Thats all fine, in the end, i have made money before, quit my job to go to college, have left and am still not making anything great. Sound bad? It isn't, have loved learning, loved the experience and don't miss my old job at all. The moral to the story? You don't need money to be happy, a little helps, but quality of life is what matters.
Reckon i am going to take this diving thing a long way, won't get rich by the sound of things, but i reckon i will be a lot happier

 

[learn-scuba]

mogwai once bubbled...
Reckon i am going to take this diving thing a long way, won't get rich by the sound of things, but i reckon i will be a lot happier

If you're loving life, you are rich. Money is just a means of scorekeeping for people playing the bored (sic) game.

 

[mogwai]

At the risk of sounding like a smart geek, the best thing i ever did was to get an education. Once you learn a bit it's easier to look at the world and see what is worth having and what is not. Family, good time, friends, time to sit back and watch the world is what counts. Have read Marxisim and a whole lot of other stuff, not all makes sense, not all works, but bits and bobs of lots of it together can really open your eyes to the world and what is worth having. Money isn't the be all and end all. Got through college working part time on buttons. Thats another reason i now know what is more important to me. Sorry this sounds like a bit of a lecture but isn't really. Just trying to share what happened to my way of thinking. Can't be all bad. Mentioned gettiing qualified and doing the instructor thing to my brother in law. His first words? 'Can i bring the wife' rlmao He doesn't even dive, yet.

 

[Lawman]

Get a good solid diving education. Work hard in your instructor
training classes. Take advantage of the opportunity to really learn
the dive business.

Then get an MD, JD or CPA after your name. That's how you can
earn a living teaching diving.