I did my Divemaster in Honduras at Utila Dive Center and liked my instruction and enjoyed the experience. I was a certified diver for about 5 years before I got there so I knew by this time I wanted the career in Diving. I am a construction/project manager by career and a dive instructor as a secondary career.
So to answer your questions here are my opinions:
1) Go to Utila Dive Center for your instruction. Travel Costs ≈$1500-$2000
2) Take their Premium Instructor Package - From Open Water Cert - Master Scuba Diver Trainer (2nd level of dive instructor): Course Cost $6300
3) The Course will last 6-8 months so assuming an average living level in Utila ≈$200-$400 per week so total living expenses could be ≈ $5200 - $13,600
4) Equipment ≈$2000-$4000; BCD, quality regulators, a couple masks, fins, snorkel, a couple sets of dive booties, a couple 3mm wet suits 3mm for Utila, dive bag, numerous rash guards and board shorts, dive computer...one that is easy to operator and show students data, misc. small tools.
5) Unless the dive training center is training you to hire there is no guarantee that they or you will find work. You most likely have to leave Utila to find work as there are numerous highly experienced instructors willing to come there for the "Dive Instructor's Life"...so the completion is crazy.
6) Like others have said you need more to offer a shop than just a smile and an Instructor's card...it is "what can you do for them". Are you fluent in other than English languages; in Asia Chinese and Russian are big; in the Caribbean the European languages are needed. Can you work on boats and compressors? What business skills do you have, e.g. web design, social media administration, accounting, marketing, sales? Are you a construction craftsman, e.g. electrician, plumber, carpenter, small operation facilities are always breaking down and in third world country's the handy your are the better. We saw boat captains mentioned earlier, well boats need constant maintenance.
If this is what you truly want to do than do it...do not let others rain on your parade...but to start out it will cost you about $25,000 that first year and this is only for a basic Recreational Instructor. If you want to branch out into the other realms of diving, sidemount, technical, rebreathers, Cave...it really gets expensive.
Good luck...
~Oldbear~
So to answer your questions here are my opinions:
1) Go to Utila Dive Center for your instruction. Travel Costs ≈$1500-$2000
2) Take their Premium Instructor Package - From Open Water Cert - Master Scuba Diver Trainer (2nd level of dive instructor): Course Cost $6300
3) The Course will last 6-8 months so assuming an average living level in Utila ≈$200-$400 per week so total living expenses could be ≈ $5200 - $13,600
4) Equipment ≈$2000-$4000; BCD, quality regulators, a couple masks, fins, snorkel, a couple sets of dive booties, a couple 3mm wet suits 3mm for Utila, dive bag, numerous rash guards and board shorts, dive computer...one that is easy to operator and show students data, misc. small tools.
5) Unless the dive training center is training you to hire there is no guarantee that they or you will find work. You most likely have to leave Utila to find work as there are numerous highly experienced instructors willing to come there for the "Dive Instructor's Life"...so the completion is crazy.
6) Like others have said you need more to offer a shop than just a smile and an Instructor's card...it is "what can you do for them". Are you fluent in other than English languages; in Asia Chinese and Russian are big; in the Caribbean the European languages are needed. Can you work on boats and compressors? What business skills do you have, e.g. web design, social media administration, accounting, marketing, sales? Are you a construction craftsman, e.g. electrician, plumber, carpenter, small operation facilities are always breaking down and in third world country's the handy your are the better. We saw boat captains mentioned earlier, well boats need constant maintenance.
If this is what you truly want to do than do it...do not let others rain on your parade...but to start out it will cost you about $25,000 that first year and this is only for a basic Recreational Instructor. If you want to branch out into the other realms of diving, sidemount, technical, rebreathers, Cave...it really gets expensive.
Good luck...
~Oldbear~