Realistic expectations?

[WetPup]

There's not really anyone locally who I can talk to about this, which is why I've been procrastinating on doing anything about it for so long...

I have a pretty good job at the moment as a professor in something science related. However I've pretty much had it with academia and want to go do something else. My backup plan was always "go pro" and become a certified dive bum. I just don't know that it's really a viable career option. I'm in Australia, but I don't know that that really matters much, as I am prepared to pretty much move anywhere.

I'm a relatively experienced diver, and have a fair bit of experience teaching in general, but stopped getting bits of paper after my rescue diver course. I keep all my first aid type stuff up to date due to work regardless, so I could pretty much walk into a DM course tomorrow. It's just...Is it really possible to make a living out of just being a dive guide/instructor? Because everyone I've met just seems to do it as a casual side job to earn some cash while they're travelling or studying, not as a way to actually build a career. And the only older people I've seen doing it are the ones who actually own the dive shops. Am I completely kidding myself about actually quitting my job to become a full time dive instructor?

 

[TMHeimer]

How old are you? I've heard of a scuba instructor making 48K a year. Apparently you need other skills like retail, boat captain, technician. If you are my age and secure, why not. If not, keep your job and borrow heavily to invest in Mutual Funds and deduct the loan interest. Then look at scuba.

 

[RJP]

Is it really possible to make a living out of just being a dive guide/instructor?

Q: What's the difference between a large pizza and a scuba instructor?

A: A large pizza can feed a family of four.

But seriously, as Tom mentioned, if you can also manage a retail operation, fix a compressor, have a captain's license, design a website, manage social media properties, clean the bathroom, and maybe speak three languages you might be able to earn very little working for someone else

But if you just want to teach scuba... you're screwed.

 

[DevonDiver]

What are your aspirations for travel? Bear in mind doing the legalities of working in foreign countries... visas, work permits etc. Often the salary wouldn't cover these expenses, let alone your living costs. Few jobs come with work permits. A lot of young traveling 'dive bums' work illegally. Consequently, they have little rights or protection in their employment or status. Is that something you'd find sustainable?

Salary is tiny. You'd earn more working in McDonald's.. Or if traveling, by teaching English. Whilst being a 'dive bum' sounds romantic, the reality of sustained financial hardship and miniscule disposable income can be too much for many people.

Relationships are an issue also. What are your hopes for family, marriage, children? Dive bum salary probably won't match expectations of 'responsible provider' domestically.

Also note that the dive industry is incredibly competitive. Agencies churn out hundreds... thousands of divemasters and instructors per year. Many of those will work for peanuts, because they're only in it for a finite time... Gap yearers, career breaks etc. Some of them might have multiple languages etc... Very employable in tourist destinations. Can you compete?

The situation is very regional. What applies to a US instructor working in the USA doesn't apply to an Oz instructor working around SE Asia... or a European instructor working in Egypt etc...

Personally.... if you don't have a secondary income, I'd say don't do it. Not if you're hoping for long term.

 

[WetPup]

How old are you? I've heard of a scuba instructor making 48K a year. Apparently you need other skills like retail, boat captain, technician. If you are my age and secure, why not. If not, keep your job and borrow heavily to invest in Mutual Funds and deduct the loan interest. Then look at scuba.

I'm 35 and female (but with zero plans of ever having kids, so that doesn't really factor in). I've got a bit of retail experience, but the rest of it, not so much. Got a recreational skipper's ticket, but nothing more than that.

Sounds like it's probably not a realistic career option at the end of the day. Probably not much point forking out the money for the pro courses if I'm not actually going to get anything out of it. Seems like it'd be a better investment to just keep spending my money on more dive holidays

Oh well, I learned something out of this conversation at any rate!

 

[Wingy]

Im roughly in the same position as you Science Quals although I also have Maritime quals. Looking for something as a career change I read Simon Pridmores book Scuba Professional to see if there was a place for me in the industry or if I wanted to be in the industry and found ......I dont want to go pro lol. The book lays bare the inner guts of the dive industry - the good, the bad, the ugly. Im pretty sure the impetus for writing this book was to give a clear and balanced view of what to expect if you choose to go pro - Id really recommend you have a read and see what you feel. You may find it is for you....I just didnt like the getting up early bits (joking, there were other reasons). Excellent read not just about becoming an instructor or DM or guide but the other employment options in the industry.

 

[Russoft]

I have a pretty good job at the moment as a professor in something science related. However I've pretty much had it with academia and want to go do something else. My backup plan was always "go pro" and become a certified dive bum.

Had to comment because:

I was doing something science-y in the lab this afternoon that wasn't working out quite the way I'd hoped. I also thought "there must be more to life than doing science and writing papers, like diving."

I'll probably never give it all up. Earning potential in academia is probably greater than diving most days of the week. Besides, if I ever go into industry, then I'll be rolling in cash and can afford to go diving in all sorts of exotic locals anyway.

Good luck on the decision!

 

[chadmeister]

Simon Pridmores book Scuba Professional

I've never heard of it... I'm looking into going pro also mostly because my partner wants to teach English in some exotic locations and I want to bum around with him. However, I'm more of an entrepreneur too, so I'd like to run my own operation at some point. Thanks for the book referral. I'll go looking on Amazon

Thank you to all the others that posted too btw! Great food for thought

 

[scoobydrew]

mostly because my partner wants to teach English in some exotic locations and I want to bum around with him

Thats what I have been doing for the last 7 years except I am the dive bum while my wife teaches English.

The information above is good. You can scrape a living in some situations but not all. If you want more out of it than a fun years backpacking then you'll need to work very hard and sink lots in. By lots I mean money, time, effort to name a few.

It's possible but not as easy as the dream will have you believe

 

[chadmeister]

Thanks scoobydrew! We're actually thinking of going off to Utila and get our certs there, then he'll do the teach/dive and I'll do the dive/other or just dive... I also speak 4 languages so it can come in handy in the more lucrative resorts as I'm told...