Red Flags or Misplaced Expectations?

[Pressurehead]

so I hope the quality employees I find will come back season after season

How long is the season over there?

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

How long is the season over there?

Maximum 6 months. July and August are the peak months as everyone in Europe is on vacation. May and June ramp up (fastest when school gets out mid June) and September ramps down. April is the time to open up, ensure everything is in working order. October most dive centers are closed, some hang on. It depends on if that is the owners only source of income.

 

[rx7diver]

I got certified as chamber operator instead. Far more satisfying and lucrative.

A friend's father, who was a PhD chemist and an avid sailor, retired when we were graduate students. Rather than teach sailing in his retirement, he decided to open a small sailboat equipment repair shop. (There are quite a few small things that routinely fail on sailboats, evidently.) He loved doing this--especially (I think) because he was able to continue enjoying sailing, while "teaching" sailing only incidentally.

As I near retirement, I think about this a lot. Chamber operator, regulator service tech, compressor/fill station tech, etc., all would be fun "retirement" jobs, I think. If there is the continued urge to teach, maybe teaching an occasional Red Cross or American Heart Association CPR course (not limited to scuba divers) or even a DAN Emergency Oxygen Provider course would sate.

I wonder ...

rx7diver

 

[Cert1967]

What do people make there per hour or per class roughly? And what's the baseline cost to be an instructor with PADI fees and the insurance you would need?

Do you have a business plan for your venture? Care to share it?

Projected costs, revenue, capital investment? Return on your investment?

Have you met with an attorney to discuss your liability exposure, waivers, insurance, pass-through entity, or C-corp? Maybe a lot of potential liability for not so much money in your pocket?

Work for a shop - W2 employee or independent contractor?

Colorado, you say? Where are you going to do the open water segment - local reservoir, New Mexico, Utah? One-way is about a 6-hour drive to Santa Rosa, and Utah Crater is about 8 hours. Hotels, about $150/night. Local reservoir, will your shop you proper instructor-to-student ratios?

SSI instructor cert? Do you have to teach for an SSI shop? Seems as though the shop is in the driver's seat? Your writings sure seem to confirm this.

Maybe ski instruction would pay better? You related that was once your side gig. PSIA certified? PSIA renewal of long-term inactive status is about $400 and ~30 CEU. Pay - depends on where you instruct, but $30 to $50 per hour is not unreasonable in Colorado. I don't think many shop/local instructors in Colorado make as much.

You say, "I did not seek to get into dive instruction with the expectation of making much money."

The shop you reference treats you like a chump now - what would change in the future?

So many instructors and DMs in the industry work for the 'glorification' - undercuts true pros and most likely an unhappy end for them in the long term.

 

[berndo]

SSI instructor cert? Do you have to teach for an SSI shop? Seems as though the shop is in the driver's seat? Your writings sure seem to confirm this.

SSI is actually much worse for instructors than PADI for that reason.

Were you trying to quote me or the OP? I'm not trying to move to Colorado and work as an instructor.

 

[Dan G]

OP, are you stuck with that particular dive center? Seems like they are inadequate in many ways, and certainly not somebody you'd want to work with/for once you get your credentials.

I'm sad to read the really negative comments in this thread, like from berndo (who must have a very unhappy life, hating everything and everybody). I've known many course directors around the world (and equivalent from several agencies) in my 25 years since I decided to be a DM, and most of them have been smart, committed, hard-working, excellent people. None of them would have treated you as you describe being treated.

The only red flag to me is NOT about your desire to be a dive pro; it is that you don't seem to realize you've been treated like s**t and it is NOT your fault. Find another dive shop or give up on your dream. It isn't going to happen with your current dive shop.

I'm not stuck with this shop. It's conveniently located to me, but there are two others within reasonable distance, too. An appealing part of this shop is that after having a discussion with one of the owners, before I started any pro coursework, explained to me that there are many opportunities for all employees to guide trips and/or complete certs while at travel destinations. From what I have gathered about one of the other nearby shops is that basically the owner and only a few others lead groups.

I also like how my current shop has a location in Florida. Seemed appealing to be able to take new divers there for completion of their cert as well as perhaps spend a summer month at the FL shop DMing and teaching. Additionally, this shop seems to have pretty robust programs for kids and teens which, as a middle school teacher, felt right up my alley.

All is not lost. I can spend money earmarked for ITC towards a nice Shearwater instead.

 

[boulderjohn]

What do people make there per hour or per class roughly? And what's the baseline cost to be an instructor with PADI fees and the insurance you would need?

He is looking at an SSI shop right now.

Thanks, @boulderjohn Text message sent.

We'll be talking.

 

[berndo]

He is looking at an SSI shop right now.

So, you don't wanna say what they make. One might wonder why.

 

[boulderjohn]

So, you don't wanna say what they make. One might wonder why.

How about I put it this way--I worked for them more than a dozen years ago and have no idea what an instructor there makes now. They don't send me updates.

 

[berndo]

How about I put it this way--I worked for them more than a dozen years ago and have no idea what an instructor there makes now. They don't send me updates.

My numbers are old too but I do still talk to people who still active. Hardly anything has changed. You can also find stuff online where people talk about saleries and commission. Virtually the same as it used to be... it's actually gotten worse, as inflation in most places has been much higher than the increase.
I get that tursiops probably never actually work but I believe you have, so why beat around the bush and not just give some actual numbers?
It'd be good especially for new people if there was more transparency. It'd be more difficult for CDs and shop owners to screw people over if there was more information available.