Course Director = $ ?

[To_Narced]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could help me here. I know theres always allot of questions on this site about money that can be made diving as a career and it seems that overwhlemingly the response is that the money isnt great and essentially is just enough to survive on. But what about course directors? If they are considered the pinnacle of the diving education system are they paid accordingly?

 

[friscuba]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could help me here. I know theres always allot of questions on this site about money that can be made diving as a career and it seems that overwhlemingly the response is that the money isnt great and essentially is just enough to survive on. But what about course directors? If they are considered the pinnacle of the diving education system are they paid accordingly?

I don't know any of the real specifics, but here in Hawaii I know a few course directors who are out of work or just doing it very part time. Back when I was in Oregon there were like 2 PADI course directors in the state. Shops who wanted to run an IDC were talking like thse guys made some bucks, but then again I doubt these guys were working regularly. They were more like medium compensated consultants who did a few jobs a year I'd bet.

I'd never go the course director route unless I owned a shop, even then I might be more inclined to just go the staff insturctor route so I could keep an eye on the IDCs without being in charge and having to go through the investement in time and $$$ it takes to become a Course Director.

Like I said, I don't know the specifics, but I suspect unless you can figure out a way to hold IDCs at least half time, it might not pay all that well.

Steve

 

[triton94949]

...what about course directors? If they are considered the pinnacle of the diving education system are they paid accordingly?

I know several course directors. These are normally instructors who planned well to start or buy their own scuba store or resort. They have normally obtained their funding from their professional jobs (not scuba), and they are now ready to semi-retire from the non-scuba working world, and graduate to full time scuba resort or store ownership and management.

They normally do one of two things: open a tropical resort, or open a stateside LDS (Local Dive Store). As resort owners their revenue would come from entertaining touring divers (technically it is called the recreational entertainment industry within the services sector of the economy). As store owners, their revenues would come primarily from equipment sales. I know one industrious course director who has his store going well, and who is organizing his first resort now.

If you want to know who the dive agencies listen to, these are they. That is why they are considered to be at the pinnacle. These are business people in the scuba business, instructors who train and supervise other instructors.

If you want to make a million dollars in the scuba industry however, start with two million.

 

[ScubaFreak]

Theres a couple course director's on this board!
One is Larry from Scubatoys.com- He's a NAUI course director, the other is Cancun Mark (no prizes for guessing where he's from ) and he's a PADI CD

They're the men to ask!!!

SF

 

[matt_unique]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could help me here. I know theres always allot of questions on this site about money that can be made diving as a career and it seems that overwhlemingly the response is that the money isnt great and essentially is just enough to survive on. But what about course directors? If they are considered the pinnacle of the diving education system are they paid accordingly?

Ditto from my experience - the only CD's I know are shop owners.

--Matt

 

[neil]

Ditto from my experience - the only CD's I know are shop owners.
--Matt

I'm a NAUI CD and don't work for a shop. There aren't too many independent CD's and that's intentional on the part of our district rep. It's much more difficult to recruit candidates without a shop, but hopefully I'll be able to get the word out in my area.

 

[Hank49]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could help me here. I know theres always allot of questions on this site about money that can be made diving as a career and it seems that overwhlemingly the response is that the money isnt great and essentially is just enough to survive on. But what about course directors? If they are considered the pinnacle of the diving education system are they paid accordingly?

Being a course director is like other professional levels in diving. If you're associated with a dive shop where there's lots of divers year round, your chances of making more money are increased. Becoming a CD and living in Siberia or Tierra del Fuego might not be so lucrative.

 

[Dan Gibson]

I was always led to believe that in the PADI system, you had to have been a least a part owner in a shop to be eligible for CD. Don't know if it's true, but since most people can't make good money owning a shop, it would appear you have to loose a lot of money before you get this low paying job.

Ditto from my experience - the only CD's I know are shop owners.

--Matt

 

[Hank49]

I was always led to believe that in the PADI system, you had to have been a least a part owner in a shop to be eligible for CD. Don't know if it's true, but since most people can't make good money owning a shop, it would appear you have to loose a lot of money before you get this low paying job.

The CD whom I did my IDC with wasn't a partner in the shop. He was trying to start his own live aboard business. He had a % deal with all the IDCs in a very busy shop.

 

[SubMariner]

Once you get to CD level you have invested a lot of time and money in continuing education, training materials, insurance, and equipment. If you do it right (multi-level teaching, Specialties, EFR) and have a big enough client base, you CAN make some serious money at it. However, if you do not live in a tropical climate, the short dive seaon means that you do not always make back what you put out that year.

IOW, this can be true:
Question: How do you make a small fortune in the scuba business?
Answer: Start with a LARGE one!

FYI, I am an IDC Staff Instructor married to a CD.