Part time vs full time instructors

[tridacna]

The OP indicated that his training path is SSI, and that agency requires that instructors be employees of dive centers. They cannot be independent. The reason for that, as was explained in a workshop by the SSI owner/President back then (who still runs the agency), is that the instructor's job is to help the shop sell gear. When our shop switched to SSI (the reason for the workshop), the shop followed his advice of identifying a set of gear from the fins up that gave the best markup and then required all instructors to purchase and wear that "uniform" and tell students they had personally selected those items because they were the best. Yes, if I had stayed with the shop, I would been required to tell my students that I had personally selected the Aqualung Slingshot fins, the Suunto Cobra III computer, the Atomic SS1 integrated alternate air, etc. because I believed those were the very best items to use for scuba. The gear that I did actually use for my personal diving was sold by the shop, but it was not part of the official "uniform" because it did not provide the highest possible markup.

John, you’re saying that they went with SSI and didn’t dictate any Mares gear? I bet that’s changed now.

 

[boulderjohn]

John, you’re saying that they went with SSI and didn’t dictate any Mares gear? I bet that’s changed now.

I do not know what items are in the current instructor uniform.

 

[tursiops]

The OP indicated that his training path is SSI, and that agency requires that instructors be employees of dive centers. They cannot be independent. The reason for that, as was explained in a workshop led by the SSI owner/President back then (who still runs the agency), is that the instructor's job is to help the shop sell gear. When our shop switched to SSI (the reason for the workshop), the shop followed his advice of identifying a set of gear from the fins up that gave the best markup and then required all instructors to purchase and wear that "uniform" and tell students they had personally selected those items because they were the best. Yes, if I had stayed with the shop, I would been required to tell my students that I had personally selected the Aqualung Slingshot fins, the Suunto Cobra III computer, the Atomic SS1 integrated alternate air, etc. because I believed those were the very best items to use for scuba. The gear that I did actually use for my personal diving was sold by the shop, but it was not part of the official "uniform" because it did not provide the highest possible markup.

There is a reason I am an independent instructor. PADI makes it easy. I tried to do that with my SDI/TDI instructor rating but the organization made it too difficult, so I bailed from them.

 

[sea_ledford]

Some good points being made here. However, my post might not have been clear. I think you forget one key area. Some teach independently/part-time because yes, they love it—but also because it gives them autonomy away from ****** dive centers who create puppy mill divers. You get to teach in a configuration that you feel will take a diver from OW to Tec if they want.

I probably came off this way, but I'm not really trying to dig on the part time instructors, especially the ones that are like what you are proposing. There is a BIG difference between independent and part-time instructors. Most independent ones have been run through the gauntlet, still like teaching, but realize the dive shop system is not a good fit for them. A part-time dive shop instructor (as I am thinking of) will teach a class or two per month (when they can), and will work for $25/student plus free fills (or whatever "perk" the dive shop is giving). There is, of course, a sliding scale between those two, and a good percentage of us probably start at one end and transition to the other. Hopefully.

In my case, I like to think of myself the same way a professional mountain guide would. It gives me upwards of 5 to 8 days (or more) for my Open Water Class, which sticks to 4 total divers at a price per head that I could afford to be a full-time diver if I wanted, but I’d rather have health insurance and a pension. So with that said, yes I’m part-time but that part-time instruction is fully dedicated to my students with passion, patience, and time that large volume shops just don’t have. I tend to keep my students for the long haul because I believe in their enrichment and progression.

That is what independent instruction should look like! It's just hard to get students when you don't have a shop to send them your way, or are well known enough that students seek you out. There are several people on scubaboard that can pull this off, especially in the technical realm, but they are pretty few and far between in the real world.

It's difficult because you are looking to charge students $400-500+ for "better training" that what they can get at a dive shop for half the price, which has a multi million dollar marketing machine behind it saying they are the best.

 

[Cert1967]

The reality is, from Aow to Instructor with all fees, courses and dive costs (assuming your 30 dives) is conservatively around $20,000 If you don't have your own kit add another $3000. And then yes the annual fees. That's just an OW Instructor.

$20k ????

$23k with gear?

Sounds high for USA?

How’s that break out?

 

[Outbound]

My hat is off to all the scuba instructors out there, particularly the ones who work for good shops (or are who operate independently) who do a good job of training students. The pay is lousy, the expenses are not insignificant, and the time commitment can be pretty serious. Around here, divers doing their cert dives "locally" have to go to one of the Ohio quarries, which means the instructors and DMs have their weekends shot by having to drive a total of about 6 hours over two days, in addition to the in-water time, paperwork stuff, etc.

I've had numerous people try to cajole me into becoming a DM and then an instructor. No way. I'd rather spend that money and that time on fun dives.

 

[Hartattack]

The OP indicated that his training path is SSI, and that agency requires that instructors be employees of dive centers. They cannot be independent. The reason for that, as was explained in a workshop led by the SSI owner/President back then (who still runs the agency), is that the instructor's job is to help the shop sell gear. When our shop switched to SSI (the reason for the workshop), the shop followed his advice of identifying a set of gear from the fins up that gave the best markup and then required all instructors to purchase and wear that "uniform" and tell students they had personally selected those items because they were the best. Yes, if I had stayed with the shop, I would been required to tell my students that I had personally selected the Aqualung Slingshot fins, the Suunto Cobra III computer, the Atomic SS1 integrated alternate air, etc. because I believed those were the very best items to use for scuba. The gear that I did actually use for my personal diving was sold by the shop, but it was not part of the official "uniform" because it did not provide the highest possible markup.

That sounds horrible.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

John, you’re saying that they went with SSI and didn’t dictate any Mares gear? I bet that’s changed now.

It didn't a couple years ago when I shop at which I taught added SSI. Requiring that would be stupid. The idea of it however made a former SSI shop switch to SDI/TDI. But that was unnecessary.

Edit. While the OP stated that the chosen direction is with SSI, that doesn't mean that will be the final destination.

 

[Diving Dubai]

$20k ????

$23k with gear?

Sounds high for USA?

How’s that break out?

MSRP of all courses and e Learning from AoW to IDC, Plus rough cost of diving at an LDS to get to the minimum dive count, and full gear inc PDC plus all the little bits and pieces you buy along the way

It's not an exact number - and sure if you took an internship where your courses were "free" it'd work out cheaper, and shops will give discounts but it's a close enough number for people to be aware of the total cost which you'll never earn back

 

[Rickk]

So a full time job without enough income. Great retirement gig. But being young and wanting living wage, probably not possible.
.....

Back in the 90's I took my OW at a resort in Jamaica. The instructors were 6 in the smallest hotel room (bunk beds), not allowed to eat with the guests and could only eat from the lowest end buffet restaurant. and needed to save for about 6 months to get home at the end of the season.

Six months, dorm accommodations, 7 days a week diving and other than tips, could only break even at the end of it. If caught taking a tip at that resort, they could be fired and looking for a place to sleep that night. (They quietly said to leave the tip in the BC pocket.)