how to get to instructor level and making a living from diving...

[mselenaous]

Making a living at it is a whole nuther kettle of fish. Probably best to sell everything you have and move to another country that is a popular dive location for vacation/holiday.

That's what I did. If you work in the US, you might be lucky to earn enough to splurge on a pitcher of beer once in a while but at least you get to dive. I moved to a travel destination (lots more diving and I don't do retail) where the cost of living is much less so its easier to make ends meet, but by no means enough to contribute to significant savings or future retirement. In these locations you are more valuable the more languages you speak and can teach. Also much more valuable if you have Captain skills (liscense).

Those of us who do it, do it because we love the diving.

 

[mselenaous]

Marry rich........

Great advise...or marry/live with someone who already has a Dive Op... (that's what I did)

 

[birdwrasse]

Great advise...or marry/live with someone who already has a Dive Op... (that's what I did)

that IS a really good idea! just in case it doesn't work out, drop me a line! i can speak spanish, too...



--carlos

 

[Ron Brandt]

im intrested about these schools that had been mentioned? about starting at open water and moving up to instructor, does this exsit?

Both E.A.S.E. and PRODIVE in Fl. offer this. Often they offer equipment repair tech and other specialties. I had considered that route myself but decieded to get to DM locally first....It was more economical.
At one time PADI college USA and Canada offered this but droped the program and the "colleges"

Ron

 

[chrisc]

Start your own LDS .....(I see you live in Vegas)

Ron

4 Shops have gone under in the past 3 years. Since the Big Box stores opened here, they undercut the LDS prices on equipment & training, and have better customer service.

 

[shellbackdiver1]

Being a good instructor/teacher is great. But if you want to make money, i'm not talking about 10,000-30,000/yr and diving everyday....i'm talking about middle class and saving a bunch for early retirement....you have to be a business person. To make money you have to spend money, alot of money. That means you need capital income start off with. You have do things better then everybody else in this business. Advertise, market, inventory, great business minded people working for/with you. You need instructors that can promote your products that are sold in your LDS.

Just IMO I have learned the above from:
1. having an instructor (my open water to rescue) that is an outstanding diver and teacher. Has an enormous amount of information about recreational diving and is able to pass it along to others. His methods are not accepted by everybody and his business sense is terrible. He struggles to put food on the table.
2. having an instructor (for my DiveCon) that is a terrible teacher but outstanding business man. He dives everyday, promotes fun above all, has mass amount of repeat customers and students, is able to sell his products at the LDS, teaches almost nothing though. He lives a very comfortable and profitable life. Why....cause he is a good sales/business person first and foremost. Being an instructor has nothing to do with it.

Im not advocating either...just passing along my observation.

 

[mselenaous]

Both E.A.S.E. and PRODIVE in Fl. offer this. Often they offer equipment repair tech and other specialties. I had considered that route myself but decieded to get to DM locally first....It was more economical.
Ron

I am an EASE graduate. I went from Rescue Diver through MSDT class in 2 months (was rushing thru before we moved from FL to Panama). It was a great program, live in the house, meals included, etc. makes it economical. With the classroom and Pool right there we would practice skills at night etc.) Divemaster teaches you all the diving skills and dive info. IDC only teaches you how to teach diving and pass the IE. I had been teaching something for a long time so teaching comes naturally. I personally wished I had taken more time in between as a Divemaster to season those practical skills in real life...instincts that one developes over time with lots of experience. www.easedivepro.com

Just adding 1 more comment about me...I did my OW in 1983 so with some experience diving and working on a dive boat, I then plunged into the pro level training in 2005.

Good luck on your decision.

 

[TheRedHead]

Set up a liveaboard in an underserved location. Provide a niche that no other shop is providing. Small dive shops have all the perils of any small business and if you understand how to make any business profitable, you could probably succeed with a dive shop.

 

[ClayJar]

Okay, since the "how to make a living" aspect has been covered, might I jump in with a question?

Quoting jbd, "You will generally need close to 100 logged dives before becoming an instructor." Is this generally the case, or does it sound high or low?

I know my LDS, a NAUI shop, requires 50 logged dives for NAUI Master Scuba Diver, 100 logged dives for DM, and 200 logged dives for Instructor (at least last time I asked).

 

[TheRedHead]

Clayjar, whether one would want an instructor who took this shortest possible route without years of experience doing progressively challenging dives in diverse situations is another topic. Unfortunately, most students don't understand the importance of experience and fail to ask the right questions.