Why can't you make a living as an Instructor?

[String]

I'm not disagreeing with you on that, but the law of averages and human nature say that someone is going to be a lot more likely to put their heart and soul into a cert class if they are getting $500 a student than if they're getting $200 a student.

I doubt that. People generally will do the same regardless of money. Why put any more effort in when you can double your money for doing nothing?
Expensive certainly doesn't always mean better - quite often it just means ripped off.

Maybe if they're doing a calm, relaxed, shallow reef dive at some Caribbean resort. Say they do that while on a 2-week vacation

Thats 90%+ of divers.

, then go home to either one of our locales (which are known for adverse diving conditions even during the warm seasons) and decides they want to push the boundaries of OW certification.

There arent hordes of people dying as a result of this. I dont see it as a problem. NOTHING you do in warm clear waters in the way of training is going to prepare you for cold, murky, high current diving. The only way to learn is to actually dive there.

 

[OldNSalty]

No conscription these days so everyone knows what they get when they voluntarily sign up so i cant see how they can complain if expected to fight or get shot at.

While I have no stomach for those who suddenly discovered that they were opposed to wars of all types once their units were called up I think you have missed the point - no one complaining here.

Do firefighters and EMTs wake up every morning saying 'Man, I really hope there is a huge fire today with losts of casualties and 3rd degree burns? - I love my job. Not hardly, Firefighters don't normally set office building ablaze.

These people recognize that there is a job that has to be done and I for one am glad that they are there to do it.

 

[String]

Do firefighters and EMTs wake up every morning saying 'Man, I really hope there is a huge fire today with losts of casualties and 3rd degree burns? - I love my job. Not hardly, Firefighters don't normally set office building ablaze.

No but you don't hear firemen complaining about being called to fight a fire.

I apply this to all jobs, you apply and sign up voluntarily so you know exactly what is expected so really cant complain when that happens, even if you hope it never does. The only way to avoid it is to not sign up.

 

[Derek S]

No but you don't hear firemen complaining about being called to fight a fire.

I apply this to all jobs, you apply and sign up voluntarily so you know exactly what is expected so really cant complain when that happens, even if you hope it never does. The only way to avoid it is to not sign up.

We're getting OT here, but as someone who's "been there, done that", I had to point out that a Firefighter/EMT/Law Enforcement professional gets to go home (for the most part) at the end of each day. Servicemen and Servicewomen do not. Yes, there is no draft or conscription in the U.S.A right now so the volunteers should always be prepared for what they might be getting themselves into, it doesn't lessen the burden on themselves or their families any less.

An old, good friend and fellow Veteran once told me: "They have no idea what you've been through, and nothing could possibly help to make them understand."

I think that sums it up pretty nicely.

BTW - Thanks for serving, Beach. Godspeed and come home safe.

 

[String]

We're getting OT here, but as someone who's "been there, done that", I had to point out that a Firefighter/EMT/Law Enforcement professional gets to go home (for the most part) at the end of each day.

Its OT so my last post on it but again, they knew that before they signed up. Its part of the job.

An old, good friend and fellow Veteran once told me: "They have no idea what you've been through, and nothing could possibly help to make them understand."

Again i'd say the above, research and know what to expect. Nobody forces it on anyone.

 

[boulderjohn]

Trying to get back to the original question...

I see a lot of replies that seem pretty absolute, but it seems to me that it all depends on where you decide to go and what you consider making a living to be.

Last year I spent a week on a Caribbean Island and spent a lot of time talking to staff members of the dive operator I used. One of them was a veteran of the British Air Force, and apparently the British armed forces train their people for careers near the close of their service. He opted to learn scuba instruction. He seemed to be perfectly happy living in an island paradise and doing a combination of DMing and instruction on a daily basis.

I once talked with someone who worked for an operator in Key Largo, and he was also happy doing what he was doing. He had figured out that the boat skipper made the most money, so he switched from the DM/instructor role to skippering, and he seemed to be more than content with his lot in life.

Here in Colorado things are a bit different. I know an Iraq war veteran who is earning a basic living in the dive shop with which I am associated by doing both retail and instruction. There are others in the shop who are also doing well enough, but not through instruction alone. They have to do a little of everything to make the LDS a success.

As for me, I am a contract instructor who does classes for the shop. There is no possibility whatsoever of making a living. It is really just a way for me to earn a little money to offset the price of the sport, spend time doing something I love to do, get free access to a pool for practice, and get discounts on gear purchases.

 

[Clammy]

While I have no stomach for those who suddenly discovered that they were opposed to wars of all types once their units were called up I think you have missed the point - no one complaining here.

Do firefighters and EMTs wake up every morning saying 'Man, I really hope there is a huge fire today with losts of casualties and 3rd degree burns? - I love my job. Not hardly, Firefighters don't normally set office building ablaze.

These people recognize that there is a job that has to be done and I for one am glad that they are there to do it.

I'm going to go OT real quick here. First off, I will buy ANY soldier (of my defending country) I meet that has recently been deactivated or is active a drink.
That being said, I once heard a soldier complain that they "didn't sign up for this" when called to go fight. To this day, this kind of baffles me because uh.. what did they THINK they were signing up and training for?!?!?!?!?! I mean it's kind of in the job description!

 

[BeachJunkie]

Yes, you're right. I signed up for it. I knew what I was getting myself into. I haven't gone AWOL. I'm here, doing my job. How often do you hear people come home from the office and go "god today sucked. I hate my boss. I don't want to do this job any more." Its the same thing. Except they can quit or go have a beer and get over it. Yes, I'm complaining. Am I not doing my job? No. I continue to do it, day in and day out. I haven't quit. So I'm still doing what I signed up for. Everyone bitches. Its part of life. Some of us just have a little bit more to bitch about. I think I'm entitled to complain a smidge. I was supposed to be out march 24th 2008. Its a few days past that I think. (thank god for stop loss) The way you're saying it, you never complain. Ever complain about traffic? You got in the car, so you shouldn't be able to complain about traffic. Ever bitch about the weather? Well you chose to live where you live so if you don't like it, you shouldn't have moved there. To say that nobody should ever complain is just silly.

 

[Clammy]

Yes, you're right. I signed up for it. I knew what I was getting myself into. I haven't gone AWOL. I'm here, doing my job. How often do you hear people come home from the office and go "god today sucked. I hate my boss. I don't want to do this job any more." Its the same thing. Except they can quit or go have a beer and get over it. Yes, I'm complaining. Am I not doing my job? No. I continue to do it, day in and day out. I haven't quit. So I'm still doing what I signed up for. Everyone bitches. Its part of life. Some of us just have a little bit more to bitch about. I think I'm entitled to complain a smidge. I was supposed to be out march 24th 2008. Its a few days past that I think. (thank god for stop loss) The way you're saying it, you never complain. Ever complain about traffic? You got in the car, so you shouldn't be able to complain about traffic. Ever bitch about the weather? Well you chose to live where you live so if you don't like it, you shouldn't have moved there. To say that nobody should ever complain is just silly.

I didn't say I don't complain. Not a single line in there says I don't complain. Not a single line I put says you can't complain or shouldn't. Complain all you want, it's your right and privilege to. You do your job day in and day out, as dangerous as it is, without going AWOL, which is precisely why I would buy you a drink if I met you.

What I'm saying is, the soldier I heard complaining said that about having to go put his training in active use, so to speak. If you sign up to be a soldier, you kind of have an expectation that you might have to go fight somewhere at some time. He didn't say, this sucks or it's crappy over there or I hate being a soldier. He just said, "I didn't sign up for this".

 

[BeachJunkie]

Reply wasn't intended for you clammy. We appreciate the support and the beer!!