DM Internship - Good Deal?

[sea_munky]

Hi! Is it a Blue Light Special, a SuperSavings, or the RipOFf of the Century?

I'd appreciate any feedback and price comparisons with your experiences.

For US$1600
- Open Water to Divermaster training
- at least 60 dives logged
- most equipment, boat, tanks, etc.
- housing (supposedly beachside)
- 3 to a room, shared kitchen/bath
- weekly housecleaning, pool

LOCATION: Manzanillo, Mexico (mid-west coast, b/w P.V. & Acapulco)

WHO: Neptune Divers (neptunedivers.com)

It's an internship, so I think I'll be pretty much working for the shop as training.

Thanks for your help!

[Cave Diver]

Sea Munky,

You posted this twice, in two different sections which is generally frowned on since these are your only two posts.

[chrpai]

sea_munky once bubbled...
Hi! Is it a Blue Light Special, a SuperSavings, or the RipOFf of the Century?




I'd vote for spam.

[sea_munky]

Hey, c'mon guys...I'm new and I'm just trying to get info/tips and just to hear any experiences people are willing to share.

Chrpai n cavediver, sorry i don't mean to clog up the message board. I just honestly wanna know if this deal is worth doing. Isn't this what a forum is for, the exchange of info?

So what do people think? Cheap/Average/Expensive?

[cornfed]

chrpai once bubbled...
I'd vote for spam.

LOL, looks like you got that spam filter tweaked just right!

[chrpai]

I'm sorry but the way the message was worded ( complete with company name and website ) from someone with just 2 posts at the time just stunk a little.

But look on the bright side... Just as I sniff a GUE class report testimonial as spam I also sniff a SSI DiveCon as spam.

[chrpai]

sea_munky once bubbled...
Hey, c'mon guys...I'm new and I'm just trying to get info/tips and just to hear any experiences people are willing to share.




So I take it your not an OW diver yet? What makes you want to be a dive master already?

[cornfed]

chrpai once bubbled...
But look on the bright side... Just as I sniff a GUE class report testimonial as spam I also sniff a SSI DiveCon as spam.

Have you found a new doctor since the move? Your sniffer appears broken. ;)

[cornfed]

chrpai once bubbled...
So I take it your not an OW diver yet? What makes you want to be a dive master already?

Probably wants to work on a boat or at a resort. No different then going to vo-tech school really.

[sea_munky]

I am Open Water certified, as my original post says this deal is for training from OW to DM.

Why do I want to do it? Pretty much for personal knowledge, skill, the experience & fun. I'm unsure if I'm going to be diving professionally.

Any feedback would be much appreciated. I'm a high school science teacher taking a year off to go travel/study/dive and trying to gain more experience in environmental education.

Thanks.

[Big-t-2538]

sea_munky once bubbled...


Any feedback would be much appreciated. I'm a high school science teacher taking a year off to go travel/study/dive and trying to gain more experience in environmental education.

Thanks. In that case, then I'd suggest against it. If you weant to travel, have fun, and dive...get an AOW cert from the LDS and go on your trips. You do not want to spend time working for a shop, running charters, and busting your @$$ on vacation.

Getting to DM is a load of work...granted for me, it was exciting and worthwhile.....but it isn;t somehitng I'd consider when I want to travel or something.

[chrpai]

I'm trying not to be a cynic, but I wonder how much you will learn about environmental education while working at a dive shop.


Perhaps a better bet would be to volunteer for some kind of marine biology foundation to do research dives or something. I don't have a URL to post right now but I've heard of them.

[sea_munky]

I actually have a job position in mind and DM certification is a "helpful but not required" qualification.

What is an AOW certification from LDS?

[cornfed]

sea_munky once bubbled...
What is an AOW certification from LDS?

Advance Open Water class offered by your Local Dive Shop.

[chrpai]

sea_munky once bubbled...
I actually have a job position in mind and DM certification is a "helpful but not required" qualification.




Then I suggest interviewing with them and ask them what they training/experience they would like to see in you short of DM. If this is a leadership position they may be looking for DM. If this is a volunteer/worker position then they may just be looking out for safe divers and a Rescue Diver cert might be what you need.

[saf_25]

cornfed once bubbled...


This message was brought to you by the Karl_in_Calif Memorial Ad Hominem Society..

LOL!
That's hillarious!
Although I've refrained from posting in any of the Karl threads, I had been following them religiously - they really were quite entertaining. This is great - I love the Memorial Ad Hominem Society.

Ok, just had to comment...now back to the discussion...

[erubic]

my $.02

have you ever been to Manzanillo? I live about 4 hours away and couldn't imagine going there to go diving.( or for any other reason) It is a industrial port, lots of water traffic. I believe that the water doesn't have very good visability. Out of all my friends that scuba dive I have never heard of anyone saying " oye, vamos a bucear en manzanillo esta fin.- lets go diving this weekend in manzanillo." I also think that the price is cheap. (that I really don't know- just a guess.)

I just got of the phone with a good friend of mine (DM) who said "99% of the time there are bad conditions in manzanillo, and it is not worthwhile to go diving"

just something to think about.

eric

[DORSETBOY]

Hate to disagree but I did my DM training whilst travelling and dont regret that for a moment. Working as a DM is a good way of doing something meaningful whilst you are away.
As long as you dont rush the course it cant be described as hugely difficult, you just need to apply yourself. The only concern I'd have with what you are planning to do is completing as a DM with 60 dives, this doesnt really give you a huge amount of experience on which to fall back on when you are a qualified DM. Saying that, there isnt really a number of dives you can see that should give anyone sufficient experience as it depends on the person and the type of diving you do.

Good luck with the course(s) and try to ignore the anally retentive people leaving the posts above!!!!:) :)

[mariecohen]

This is an awesome school. Check out our facebook page, become a friend and chat to our students. We have 6 working instructors and 14 students at present so you are guaranteed a quality education.

[Dannybot]

Sounds like a neat opportumity for an adventure, too bad for the lack of support, good luck.

[mkutyna]

We have 6 working instructors and 14 students at present so you are guaranteed a quality education.

Huh? What does number of instructors + number of students have to do with quality of education? That makes absolutely no sense.

[Don Wray]

Holy dead thread Batman!!!! Thanks for bringing it back Marie, it was so informative the first time around, I guess, but I'm betting the OP decided the outcome long, long ago. But at least I can get rid of that Hi...it's been some time since your last post message.

[Scuba Laura]

To advertise such a "deal" is a shop in it for the money, and that's it. To put someone through DM starting at OW level takes alot of time and effort for a dive center. And it's usually done to "raise" a potential and valuable future employee, if it's done correctly.

[1_T_Submariner]

OW to DM in 60 dives and how long? Sounds like too much too fast. You could be a DM with 64 dives hmmmm. Doesn't sound like a good plan to me. I don't think that # of dives is an absolute indicator of experience competency etc... just doesn't seem like a good idea.

If you already have a few years exp. and did your reseach then the $1600 sounds like a fair deal for the lodging etc. If it is somewhere you want to spend a month or 2 at.