Various DM Internships

[jdsolo]

I've been researching a lot on the different locations to do dive master internships. But of course, nothing is better than customer reviews.

So, I was just wondering what people thought about the various places they did their internships. You don't have to name names if you don't want to but I'd just like to know (as I'm sure many others would also) what the nuances were between doing DM Internships in Thailand, the Caribbean, Australia, or even Egpyt.

I'm sure they were all great but what were the pros and cons that factored into you choosing those locations/dive shops?

Thank you

 

[jdsolo]

Wow.. So either no one here is a Divemaster or they don't want to share their experiences..

 

[Digger54]

I didn't have the time to spend away from home for my divemaster internships so mine were done in the cold, murky, quarry waters around Middle Tennessee. I hope someone will give you a response that will be beneficial to you and others.

I will say that when I visited Roatan a couple of years ago the Divemaster interns they had there seemed to be having a jolly good time and working hard and learning a lot. They were with Coconut Tree divers. Wil Welborne (sp?) was with them and posts in these forums sometimes. Maybe he can give you some advice.

 

[RU4SKUBA]

I think I can safely say internships aren't very well regarded on this site, so I'm not surprised so few responded. The subject has been covered ad nauseum and rarely results in anything but an oft-repeated argument about agency standards.

IMO, it really won't matter who you do your DM with as long as you arrive academically prepared and have strong diving/aquatic skills.

Of course you want to find a great instructor, but you cannot control that factor nearly as much as you can control how prepared you are when you start your coursework. If you expect to do most your learning at the dive center, with no previous studying, then it'll be a challenging experience and highly dependent upon the instructors teaching skills.

 

[mitsuguy]

Utila Dive Center... you will get the chance to work with HUNDREDS of students... on average, they start an open water course every single day with between 3 and 10 students... and on top of that, they are amazing as far as following standards and procedures...

almost all their working instructors are IDC Staff instructors or better, so they all have a ton of experience... they have a real good program there... I didn't go through the DM intern portion, but I spent some time interning as an instructor there when I did my IDC with them...

Your internship will take as long as you want it to... If you want to bust your butt and get it done quickly, you can or if you want to take the long drawn out road, you can as well... You will get a ton of free fun diving as well...

 

[Divemastersintraining]

We are trying our best to provide our dmt’s the tools, knowledge and understanding to be a great Divemasters. While we also want to teach them that it takes to work in today’s dive industry.

 

[DevonDiver]

My advice is to avoid the big 'factories' of dive training. Find a small, but busy, dive center with a great bunch of people who will welcome you as a valued member of their team. Those places will spend the time and effort with you to make it truly worthwhile.

The dive centers that have busy DM programmes will only ever see you as another 'sausage' on the production line. They won't even remember your name 2 months after you leave...

 

[DM Heidi]

In my personal experience I went with a company that is referred to as a "factory" but I don't feel one bit as if I'm just a number to them. I've built some very close long term friendships, met many people from all walks of life!
And as to being "forgotten after two months" I've witnessed an instuctor who left 9 years ago, return for a holiday with his son and be treated as if he never left!
I'm sure every company works different with their divemaster program, and it's completly what you want to get out of the program that should make the ultimate decision.
I was looking for a great atmosphere, By the Book PADI standards, extra curricular activities, Which I assist in "Save Koh Tao", but most importantly FUN.
It may not be for everyone but Koh Tao was the best choice for me!!

 

[DevonDiver]

Compared to your experiences in what other locations as a dive pro?

Great atmosphere,... extra curricular activities,... but most importantly FUN

Perhaps not everyone's primary criteria for choosing a course of career education. It does tends to reflect why people choose to do DM on Koh Tao. That, in itself, speaks volumes...

By the Book PADI standards...

This is not the norm for Koh Tao.

 

[DM Heidi]

As for my personal "Dive Pro" experiences . . . .none

However as for 2nd hand experience, I have many close friends I've known for many years who have spend many years living on a boat in the caribbean, or travelling the world diving, who have stopped in Koh Tao for a short stint, and months or even years later still haven't left!

As I said before Koh Tao isn't for everyone!!
As for PADI Standards "not being the norm in Koh Tao" I find it offensive that you would generalize all dive shops on koh tao that way, just because some shops aren't as professional doesn't mean they all run that way!!

If I wanna be exceptional at something, I'm goin to the University, not the local college