Considering Diving

[DeepSeaKyle]

Hi my name is Kyle, im 19 and i am thinking about taking up diving as a career. I live in Kelowna, British Columbia and there is a dive school near me called Diving Dynamics... I have always like the water and anything to do with it, i went on a dive in mexico when i was on vacation and it was one of the funnest things i have ever done... i would have to take out a student loan to enroll in the PDT course they offer... i believe its 23 weeks and 8hrs a day 5 days a week so i would have to be very seriouse about it... my main question is that if i get certified and all that fun stuff what are the career opportunities like , is there a demand, what is the demand mostly for, i know i would have to travel and i am completly fine with that, what are the jobs/tasks a beginner diver would most likely get , the guy at the dive shop said my first job would probably be in the caymans or the caribbean (doesnt sound too bad to me) but just looking for some info on what this career has to offer.... thanks for any feedback

Kyle:cool2:

 

[Tinytechie]

Hah! dude take PDT its a great course, heaps of fun and they will give you a lot of skills above and beyond what your average entry level instructor has. You're right its very full on and you'll have to dedicate yourself but you'll love every minute of it. PDT changed my life! haha! As a beginner in the dive industry what you do will depend on what type of job you get.. if you get on a liveaboard (diving dynamics has some contacts on some good ones in the carribbean) you'll be doing a lot of guiding, deck watch, learning a LOT about boats and ropes etc etc.. if you get land based you will probably start teaching quickly, doing resort courses (try dives) guiding certs and possibly even driving boats.. You'll have to fill tanks, wash gear.. again depending on where you are.. The only thing you need to ask yourself is if you're in it for the $$$ cuz if you are... there isnt any!!! hah. but really its great, do it. :cool2:

 

[k ellis]

Yes take the courses. I would recommend taking the PDT but dont sale the standard entry level cert short. It can get you diving immediately all the while working on more complicated courses.

We all dream and aspire of diving the miracle dives of Hawaii and the Carribeab but diving the local lakes are a total blast too!

Good luck

 

[CamG]

Greetings Kyle and your excitement and interest in diving is awesome. As you have learned from the previous post diving and professional dive training are two quite different paths. As you have already researched it is possible to fast track "zero to hero" on a intense time of training. I have looked into these programs as well but chose to instead do the slow ladder climb and observe from the DM position.
My situation is very different than yours, wife and two kids and 41 years old not the best to be able to speed off to a exotic dive destination for a first assignment.
If I were a younger man, not married I would all ready be gone! I am not lying!
If this is your dream then go for it! There are a few things to consider; check the references of the training facility very carefully and what placement practices if any.
Some shops and dive operations are very selective about the dive trainers they hire.
By this I mean they like to see references that prove experience in the industry not just a fresh OWI card. I am not trying to discourage you one bit, my point in bringing this to your attention is simply you may have to take a lessor position to get your foot in the door. Another consideration that is not very popular is the independent route. By this I mean the non-affiliated to a local dive shop or dive operation.
There are independent OW instructors out there and I have worked with one for 3+ years now. In those years I have learned the ups and downs of the dive training.
From the the yearly insurance to scheduling training, to students that are afraid of the water. I wish I was kidding. I have seen naturals that bogle your mind and will go and achieve more for diving than I will ever dream of and I have seen the determined, commitment of those who have to work to perfect skills and end up being awesome divers. I have witnessed 60-70 year olds start diving and be so energized they encourage everyone around.
I have assisted training 10 year olds and even my own daughter who blow me away with their attention to skills and dive mechanics.
The real down to training day to day in the trenches has been a eye opening experience for me. What I have learned is that good trainers do not train to get rich but love to pass on the love of diving to others. It is about passion to train, to see the lights go on in a student and watch it grow. That is what it is about for the best instructors that I have witnessed and call friends, "mentors".
Good luck and seek your path and find your passion!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[Malene]

Hello,
OK, I'll play the bad guy...
Before enrolling in this school, why don't you try to experiment "a few" dives for the sake of diving and see how much you like it. Then, why don't you observe the life of a DM / Instructor, or even better, discuss with them to have a better view of this life.
I am not trying to discourage you to do it... Mixing job and your passion is something a lot of persons dream of... I cannot blame you, but sometimes also it is better to separate them, so that if you get sick of your job, you still have your passion!

 

[Colliam7]

im 19 and i am thinking about taking up diving as a career. ... I have always like the water and anything to do with it, ... i would have to take out a student loan to enroll in the PDT course they offer...my main question is that if i get certified and all that fun stuff what are the career opportunities like ... the guy at the dive shop said my first job would probably be in the caymans or the caribbean

Diving as a carrer is more about lifestyle than income. There are quite a few people in your age and flexibility bracket, with whom you would be competing for opportunities. Like CamG said, there are probably more than a few of us more 'senior' SB'ers who might jump at doing this is were we in your position. I downloaded the PDT curriculum, and it is AWESOME, particularly the inclusion of the boat skills portion. It is also very expensive, and the ~$15K in fees does not (appear to) include the transportation and living expenses. I am certainly not suggesting it doesn't provide value for every dollar - only that you would probably not be able to pay off a loan used to pursue it, based solely on income derived from being a dive professional, in a reasonable time, if ever. There are lots of eager young Instructors out there, from North America as well as Europe, looking for similar lifestyle opportunities. The boat skills portion of the PDT is (very) likely to set you apart from them. Frankly, if DD offered just that portion as a training program, I suspect a lot of people, including more than a few older instructors living near coastal areas, would take advantage of it.

One thought, already alluded to by some others - it appears you are relatively new to diving. Before jumping into the program, before incurring the significant financial obligation, would it be worthwhile to dive some, maybe even travel to one or more Caribbean locales to dive, and talk to dive professionals living / working there, simply to reinforce the fact that this is something worth the investment? Obviously, it is your money and your time, so you will decide what is the best approach for you. But, that is just a thought to consider.

 

[DeepSeaKyle]

Thanks for all the feedback, im still in the research portion of things, i need to find out if they help with a job placement at all, the living expensess wouldnt be too bad while taking the course because while im in school and stuff and i can live at home, so no rent or food costs.. but theres still the vehicle insurance and etc.. I need to take PDT before i can take the unrestricted surface supplied air one right? and to my understanding that one is more of the construction aspect of things? That would be more where i could make a living, from what i am reading the pay/salary is not very good with PDT or diving in general? i do have my welding ticket so maybe down the road i could bring the welding and diving together.

 

[lavachickie]

I strongly agree with those who suggest you first become a trained, skilled and experienced diver, and then decide if and how you would like to pursue that for a living.

I've not been diving long (since November when I did my OW training), but I've seen people all starry eyed to start, and give up almost immediately. It just wasn't what they thought. Then there are people who do the training and think they'll dive a few times a year. Then there are those who will jump at any excuse to get into anything larger than their hot tub, regardless of how cold and how muddy as they patiently await the next more exotic dive trip. (That's me!) But I can't say it appeals to me as a vocation, although I do plan to make DM just to represent the fluffy women, and that's where a possible interest in instructing lies for me, too. But that's my thread and this is yours... sorry. =-)

Diving for fun and working as a diver are two totally different things. (As are most things; database development and owning a company that does database development, for instance, are totally different but try telling that to every geek who thinks they are sick of working for Da Man.)

You need to carefully consider the cost of your training vs your return on investment. Look into how much freshly minted instructors make, and imagine having to enter repayment on those loans with that income. Project out for ten years, because that may be how long it takes you to pay it off. Indeed it's a lifestyle choice, and you need to carefully consider the additional hit that having a student loan payment will be. And what transferrable skills are you left with if instruction doesn't pan out for you (either due to lack of jobs, or lack of interest on your part)? Always have a "plan B" whether that's to do something else in the dive industry, or something totally different.

 

[Diver0001]

Hi my name is Kyle, im 19 and i am thinking about taking up diving as a career. I live in Kelowna, British Columbia and there is a dive school near me called Diving Dynamics...

Welcome.

i would have to take out a student loan to enroll in the PDT course they offer...

That gives me alarm bells. You don't make much money as a dive pro and paying back a student loan isn't something I would like to try combining with a "vagrant" lifestyle.

Given your age, I think becoming a pro and working as an instructor for a while might be a lot of fun. But if you're going to take out a student loan for something, then (as much as this is going to sound like your father talking), take the loan, go to school for a "real" education. Going in debt for this is not something I would want to do. Save for it and do it once you can finish without being in the hole coming out of the gate.

i believe its 23 weeks and 8hrs a day 5 days a week so i would have to be very seriouse about it... my main question is that if i get certified and all that fun stuff what are the career opportunities like , is there a demand, what is the demand mostly for, i know i would have to travel and i am completly fine with that, what are the jobs/tasks a beginner diver would most likely get , the guy at the dive shop said my first job would probably be in the caymans or the caribbean

if he's got connections and he's willing to set you up with a gig in the Caribbean then this sounds like an interesting opportunity. Otherwise he's just blowing hot air at you and it's worth nothing. Getting a job as a dive instructor can be a little more daunting than just arriving in Cozumel and saying "I'm HERE! now WHO was waitng for me?"

I'm curious. Why didn't they tell you that Diving Dynamics would put you to work? Seems like an obvious next step if they trained you....

(doesnt sound too bad to me) but just looking for some info on what this career has to offer.... thanks for any feedback

Kyle:cool2:

Kyle, realistically, if you want to have fun with this then you're going to have to travel a lot. You'll simply need to go where the work is. Finding a job might not always be easy and finding a job where *you* want to be might not be possible at all. Some destinations are popular among dive pros and realistically, you'll have to compete for jobs with a lot of people who will probably have more experience than you do. That's not to discourage you, but to just make you aware that it's not as easy as just snapping your fingers. At some level it's work like any other.

Also, it's going to be next to impossible to maintain this lifestyle when/if you want to settle down and have a family but as long as you don't have that "ballast" then I'd say it could be an interesting adventure. Just don't expect to make a lot of money at it. It's not really a "career" choice, as much as a lifestyle choice, as someone already said.

R..

 

[rcs9250]

Roturners advice is rock solid in everything he said.