PADI Divemaster Certification Advice

Hello All,
This is my first post to this site, so please bare with me. I am a 23 year old recent graduate who is need of a change. I have been diving for approximately 7 years now and have loved every minute of it.

I am in the beginning stages of considering leaving the US for a while to obtain my Dive Master cert and work somewhere as a DM.

Any advice would help. I have spoken with a few people who have taken similar routes and they have given me a number of different explanations. I am wondering if anyone on here has had first hand experience with any facilities and done their training and been exceptionally pleased. Most of diving experience has been in the carribean so far, however I am hoping to go towards South East Asia/ Australia in order to do my certification process.

Could anyone please give me any sort of advice?

Thank you.

Okay, first thing is get more dives in. Second, make sure you have some funds (for living as well as diving & courses). Thirdly, where ever you decide to go, talk to the local DMs & instructors. Can`t tell you nothing about South East Asia or Australia as I`ve only worked in the UK and Red Sea. One last thing, get more dives in. BOL

I can't give you any specific advice about SE Asia, but if you want to try the Caribbean check out coconut tree divers on Roatan. You would meet lots of people in your situation there. Doing the DM course in the right place is a fun way to spend a few months and improve your dive skills. I wouldn't expect to work as a DM in a tropical destination though. Most of the guiding jobs go to either instructors or local guides. If you really want to work you'll probably have to continue on to the IDC and hope for the best.

If you decide on either SE Asia or Australia, do your research. Probably more so with SE Asia - there are a lot of dive centres that like making a quick buck off the tourists, adn will do you an uber-quick but not uber-cheap DM course.

I'd suggest taking your time over it - you can spot the difference between a DM who did their course in two weeks, and one who did it in six months. In that sense, look at your finances and see what you can afford and what sort of committment you can make.

Australia has the advantage (for someone your age) of having a working holiday visa scheme - which makes it easy for you to pick up a bit of paid work (up to 12 months in a 24 month period, I think) that you can use to subsist on whilst working your way through your DM course.

If you do go to Aus, drop Keith Cardwell at FNQ an email. Keith is a PADI Course Director, and he comes over the ditch to do some IDCs here in NZ. I've met him a few times, and he is a nice bloke. He also went above and beyond in terms of service in helping a friend of mine out with an IDC. Details on their website: FNQ Dive

However, I'd suggest thinking ahead a bit - what are you wanting to get out of your DM once you are finished? Michigan doesn't strike me as the warmest place in the world when it comes to diving.... and there's a huge difference between getting a DM job at some warm resort and doing it in the Great Lakes. Just as you can tell a DM who took their time over their course, you can also spot a "warm water" DM who is working in cooler water after they've finished (they're normally blue and shivering!).

Just because I am a fan - been here 6 years and have no intention of leaving if I can help it - have a look into New Zealand. We also have a working holiday visa scheme. You could get a WHV for here, pick up some work to pay for a DM course and once you're done hop over the ditch to Aus and enjoy the warmer water and just pick up a DM "job" on one of the charters.... you won't get paid, other than maybe tips, but it won't cost you to live and you'd have a great time. All in all, you could probably work out a two year trip around the Aus, NZ and the South Pacific on a single round the world ticket and find a way to earn enough to pay for your expenses en route!

Feel free to drop me a PM if you want any specific advice about Aus or NZ.