Wanting to be an Instructor, need advice.

[delbuort]

So, I'm in the military right now and will retire in about eight years. I've been looking for someplace warm and tropical to retire to, and the search continues. I've read about how instructors basically make peanuts, or less. How true is this? Are there any real jobs, making real money, for an instructor out there?

I shouldn't have to really worry about how much I make from the job, my wife and I retire at the same time and will collectively be getting about $40k/year so pretty much making anything is gravy, but its always nice to make a little more. I just don't want to get into a job that I can't make money at if I HAD to.

Thanks for any real feedback you can give.

 

[Alex777]

It is certainly true in the Caribbean. If there are any exceptions to this, I would like to know about them also.

 

[robint]

So, I'm in the military right now and will retire in about eight years. I've been looking for someplace warm and tropical to retire to, and the search continues. I've read about how instructors basically make peanuts, or less. How true is this? Are there any real jobs, making real money, for an instructor out there?

I shouldn't have to really worry about how much I make from the job, my wife and I retire at the same time and will collectively be getting about $40k/year so pretty much making anything is gravy, but its always nice to make a little more. I just don't want to get into a job that I can't make money at if I HAD to.

Thanks for any real feedback you can give.

Yes, its true. Teaching is done just for the love of teaching, not to support yourself. You need a second job to pay the bills. The only exception to this is if you go to work on a liveaboard, which is a full-time job itself. You won't make lots of money doing that either, but you won't need the second job.

Most instructors in Carib destinations I have met live very frugal lifestyles in order to do it. Don't get me wrong --- if my husband decides to quit his "day job" one day and move somewhere tropical so he can teach fulltime, I am ready to go (once we sell our house, cars, furniture, tvs, etc).

robint

 

[Bob]

So, I'm in the military right now and will retire in about eight years. I've been looking for someplace warm and tropical to retire to, and the search continues. I've read about how instructors basically make peanuts, or less. How true is this? Are there any real jobs, making real money, for an instructor out there?

I shouldn't have to really worry about how much I make from the job, my wife and I retire at the same time and will collectively be getting about $40k/year so pretty much making anything is gravy, but its always nice to make a little more. I just don't want to get into a job that I can't make money at if I HAD to.

Thanks for any real feedback you can give.

I'm sure there are exceptions to every case, but in general, instructors don't make any money. I teach because diving is my passion and I want my students to capture that same excitement. I have a full time job and use instructing as a way to feed my gear and diving habit. I never want to be in the situation of needing to make money and having to depend on instructing to make that money, it's simply not going to happen. I plan to instruct full time after I retire, not to make money, but to stay busy and continue to do what I love to do, dive! Hope my perspective helps with your decision process. Good luck with your future plans. almtree: Bob

 

[Fred R.]

Yes, you will be getting lots of replies in which people tell you that you will make very little money. Phrased in a not too polite fashion, the reason that scuba instructors are not paid very much is because they are worth very little.
One problem is, there are plenty of people willing to ‘work’ as scuba instructors for next to nothing.
A bigger problem is virtually none of these people have any idea what the job is about, indeed even what business they are entering and most are either incapable or unwilling to do the necessary work.

Since you have eight years to prepare, here are some things you might want to do;
Join an acting group and get yourself on stage, a lot. Get comfortable speaking and performing in front of a crowd.
Join Amway, listen to all their tapes on sales, internalize it and practice the plan. It won’t make you any friends, but there are no better and certainly no cheaper courses of study on sales techniques.
Join a gym and get yourself into shape, really good shape. Concentrate on back and shoulders.
Learn and practice mechanical skills, diesel and HP compressors are a ‘must’, outboard knowledge is handy.

Realize that no one is going to pay you lots of money to go diving and have fun on your own. You get paid on your ability to fill the boat, fill the classes and encourage people to return to dive or learn from you. You will also have to keep up with all the work. You will be expected to keep the boat clean and yes this includes the head (toilet for you land lubbers). You will be expected to load and unload the boat. This typically means 2000 pounds of ‘stuff’ will have to be moved on and off the boat, two to three times a day. You will probably be expected to help gear people up, which means dead lifting 40-70 pounds of weight to chin height twelve times per trip, 2-4 times a day (repeat for lowering).

You will have to ‘perform’ some version of a ‘resort course’ endlessly. The beginners never get smarter or more skilled. Make peace with that now.

You will also have to get along with the owner of the shop, who is probably a very difficult personality and unless it is a new shop, is on the downhill slide of going out of business.

If you can do all this, you still won’t make a lot, but you might be able to almost double your retirement income.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Listen to Fred, that's one of the best descriptions I've ever heard of how to make it in the instructor business. Get a Captain's rating as well for as big a boat as you can. Research what nationalities are visiting the place you intend to go job hunting and take the time to learn their languages, multi-lingual is a big plus on ANY resume.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Slaveeye]

What Bob & Fred stated is so true. Couldn't of said it better myself. The love of diving is why we do it. Teaching pays the pro Insurance, a couple of trips a year, and upgrades on gear. In college I worked for a local shop in my home town and this helped with school tuition and rent, but mostly kept me diving mostly for free and got some sweet discounts on new gear. But in theory a decent living can be made and some do alright teaching full time. Most of them have higher certifications other than Scuba Instructor. Such as Master Scuba Diver Trainers, and work for a shop full time. They also put in a lot of hours everyday. Usually from sun up to sundown and not to mention all the behind the scene jobs to keep the operation/gear nice and neat and in good working order. Its a ton of work for a 1/4 ton of pay so you really have to LOVE what your doing. And I've seen a few Instructors get burned out in a short time. But not to discourage you in anyway. Give it a go and see if it works for you. I absolutely enjoy teaching it to people that are stoked to learn, and seeing their faces underwater in the pool for the first time with excited eyes and then seeing them progress to certified divers after a weekend in open water is were the true pay off is.............but don't get me wrong a little green in the pocket is also nice.

Remember the more tools you have in your toolbox the more a shop will see you as valuable team member. I hope this helps.....

 

[String]

So, I'm in the military right now and will retire in about eight years. I've been looking for someplace warm and tropical to retire to, and the search continues. I've read about how instructors basically make peanuts, or less. How true is this? Are there any real jobs, making real money, for an instructor out there?

Certainly europe/the med the best you can expect instructing is not to lose money. You need a real job to pay the bills.

 

[pir8]

I sorta have the same type of goal. One day I hope to retire from my day job and then retire to the Islands and teach. But only after I have myself stable enough that I can survive without teaching. For now I am building experience and certifications so that when I do this in reality(what a concept) I can offer them whatever they need.

 

[delbuort]

Man, I'm glad I asked you guys.

Fred - You've certainly given me a few things to think about I never even considered before. I think I'm off to a good start. I'm good with engines and have already thought about getting my captain's license. One step at a time right now I guess.

Just by virtue of my job I talk to groups and teach people all the time. I'm getting pretty good at it. We're given courses on public speaking and instruction. Nice to get it for free while I can. I've actually taught some sort of course for some time now. I was a snowboard instructor in Misawa, Japan for about four years. I probably taught about 50 classes during that time. As long as I'm comfortable with the material I teach well and am pretty good at finding different ways of explaining things.

Bob - It does put things in perspective for me. I have already decided that if I do it, it will be because I want to, not because I have to. I figure if I retire then I don't really want to have to work much if I don't want.

I love diving and I love teaching, so I figure why not put them together? And, maybe I can get some diving in for free!

You've all certainly given me a lot to think about but nothing you've said has deterred me in any way. That's good I guess.

Thanks a lot for the advise. It's always nice to get it from the professionals that do the job every day instead of depending on second hand information.

Thanks,
Jason