Dive Master Internship in Palau

[pkm2568]

Interested in becoming a dive professional, but having difficulty getting your foot in the door?

Weary of doing one of those 'turn and burn' 2-4 week Divemaster courses that just check off the list and don't really teach you anything? Well, we're here to change that. With us, you get the whole package, time on the boat, time in the shop, and all the time you need to be the best entry level pro on the market!

What we have created an 8-12 week program designed to make you one of the most employable, entry-level scuba pros in the world. You'll be taught by the best. Palau Dive Adventures (PDA) is one of the top rated dive operations in the whole country of Palau (according to TripAdvisor) and you'll be taught by the leading industry professionals that helped turn PDA into what it is today.

Our DM/Resort program is designed to take someone who knows little to nothing about the industry and turn them into an expert! Not only will you receive first class dive training; how to engage the customers on the boat, in the shop, and underwater. We'll train you standard boatmanship, knot tying, etc. You'll learn advanced Navigation techniques. You'll learn how to read currents and water conditions. We'll teach you how to spot the difference between confident, strong divers, and the ones who need a little more attention.

You'll learn how each PADI Course works, Open Water, Advanced, Rescue, and the Discover Scuba Program. You'll assist with each of these courses multiple times. You'll also learn some specialty courses (and have the opportunity to be trained in) such as Nitrox, wreck, deep, Drift, among many more.

In addition to learning the diving side of the scuba industry, you'll also spend time in the shop taking bookings and learning how to makes sales through subtle suggestive up-selling. You'll learn how to maximize your income by learning the best ways of sealing the deal and earning that commission!

Accommodation will be covered by the candidate. However, the course includes transportation to and from the office, gear locker, or dock. Also, we include unlimited diving for the duration of the course.

As many of us know, Palau offers some of the best, if not the best, reef diving on the planet. Beautiful diving coupled with the beautiful scenery of the surrounding rock islands and the top-of-the-line training you'll receive make for one of the best Dive Internships around. Also, we are currently only taking on ONE candidate at a time so you'll receive all the attention you need.
Some weekends and after-hours can be spent covering the theory, workbook, and knowledge reviews over a meal or drinks. Also, providing one on one time for Q&A.

Upon satisfactory mastery and completion of not only the PADI DM course but our high standards and performance expectations, we will sign you off, and send you out into the world as a confident new dive pro ready to prove what you know at any dive shop around the globe. We can provide references, recommendations, and perhaps in some rare cases we may even be able to get you a job somewhere, not necessarily with us but with one of the shops we have good relationships with, be them anywhere in the world.

Interested candidates should send cover letter, CV/Resume, and recent photo(s) with at least one showing the whole face, I.E. no Sunglasses or hats. Also, the subject of the email needs include the word INTERNSHIP. Please send emails to Pete at:

training@palaudiveadventures.com

Only, applicants who include all the criteria listed above will be considered. Only applicants who are short-listed will be contacted. The starting date for the next available course will be in early May. Thank you and we all look forward to working with you!!

 

[geoff w]

This would be so very tempting if I wasn't already a DM. But we're looking at coming back later this year and diving with you guys again!

 

[RJP]

Interested candidates should send cover letter, CV/Resume, and recent photo(s) with at least one showing the whole face, I.E. no Sunglasses or hats. Also, the subject of the email needs include the word INTERNSHIP.

What's the rationale for requesting a photo? Doing so is against employment laws in many countries... not sure about Palau.

 

[pkm2568]

I find it's a common request in the scuba industry. Take a look at the PADI Pro's classifieds. I find it really just gives a face to the name.

Our interview process is long. It includes several Skype interviews, and we want to know beforehand that the candidate and instructor will have a good working relationship.

In my experience, it just gives everyone a better idea of who they'll be working with.

Might not be entirely necessary, and we would never disqualify a potential candidate due to looks alone.

I hope this answers your question.

 

[RJP]

I find it's a common request in the scuba industry. Take a look at the PADI Pro's classifieds. I find it really just gives a face to the name.

Our interview process is long. It includes several Skype interviews, and we want to know beforehand that the candidate and instructor will have a good working relationship.

In my experience, it just gives everyone a better idea of who they'll be working with.

Might not be entirely necessary, and we would never disqualify a potential candidate due to looks alone.

I hope this answers your question.

It's considered illegal to request a photo of job or school applicants in the US, Canada, Australia, and UK (and others, but my own personal hiring experience is in those countries) so just know that your request might put people off. In fact, in the US most

Why is it illegal? While you say you would never DQ someone based on looks alone... you don't really know that. Photos convey more than looks alone; race, ethnicity, gender, physical disabilities, age, family status, etc and consideration of these factors is clearly discriminatory.

Whether we like it or not, we all have prejudices and preconceived notions. Not saying that you would consciously rule someone out based on these other potential things, but there have been plenty of studies that show that interviewing, candidate selection, and hiring decisions change dramatically when a photo is included in the process. This is why requesting one is essentially considered de-facto proof of discriminatory hiring practices in the US and other places. (ie - the mere fact that a photograph is requested is adequate proof of discrimination, there is no need for the government to prove that discriminatory decisions were ever actually made.)

You might do well to look into your local laws to make sure you're not putting yourself at risk.

PS - as to the fact that lots of dive ops ask for photos as support for the practice... Well, this industry as a whole is "amateur hour" on so many fronts that I'd hardly look to any industry-wide practice as being reflective of "best practices" in the real world.

 

[pkm2568]

It's considered illegal to request a photo of job or school applicants in the US, Canada, Australia, and UK (and others, but my own personal hiring experience is in those countries) so just know that your request might put people off. In fact, in the US most

Why is it illegal? While you say you would never DQ someone based on looks alone... you don't really know that. Photos convey more than looks alone; race, ethnicity, gender, physical disabilities, age, family status, etc and consideration of these factors is clearly discriminatory.

Whether we like it or not, we all have prejudices and preconceived notions. Not saying that you would consciously rule someone out based on these other potential things, but there have been plenty of studies that show that interviewing, candidate selection, and hiring decisions change dramatically when a photo is included in the process. This is why requesting one is essentially considered de-facto proof of discriminatory hiring practices in the US and other places. (ie - the mere fact that a photograph is requested is adequate proof of discrimination, there is no need for the government to prove that discriminatory decisions were ever actually made.)

You might do well to look into your local laws to make sure you're not putting yourself at risk.

PS - as to the fact that lots of dive ops ask for photos as support for the practice... Well, this industry as a whole is "amateur hour" on so many fronts that I'd hardly look to any industry-wide practice as being reflective of "best practices" in the real world.

After reviewing Palauan labor laws I can't find anything that states requesting a photo for a job is illegal.

Also, this isn't a job interview. It's a training program where the candidate pays for training. We're essentially interviewing potential customers.

Regardless, you cliam it's off-putting. And the last thing I would want to do is portray Palau Dive Adventures as discriminatory.

So let's say that any and all applicants no longer need to provide any photos. I would edit the original post if it would let me.

Thanks for your input.

 

[geoff w]

...Regardless, you cliam it's off-putting. And the last thing I would want to do is portray Palau Dive Adventures as discriminatory...

Having dived with PDA before, and planning another trip with them later this year, as well as recommending PDA to friends, and getting to know Chris here in the US, I would be shocked if anyone who has any experience with them could use the term discriminatory, or any other negative, to describe the operation. Based on my experience, this is the best run dive operation I've ever had the pleasure of diving with. As I originally replied in post 2, this has to be one of the greatest dive experiences imaginable, to spend 8-12 weeks diving one of the top spots on the planet with a first class operation that really understands how to provide a fantastic dive experience

 

[RJP]

To be clear, I was not meaning to imply that the OP was engaging in discrimination. Just wanted to make sure they weren't inappropriately perceived as such.

 

[drbill]

Another individual here who dove with PDA last year and is a big fan of their operation. Heading back there this spring as well. Knowing Chris and the crew at PDA, I can't imagine them discriminating.