Becoming an Instructor

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marusso

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
149
Reaction score
0
Location
Hilton Head Island, SC
# of dives
500 - 999
Hi. I am currently an SSI Master Diver with about 100 logged dives. If I was to really go all out, how long, and what would it really take to become an SSI ow instructor.

Also what kind of costs are involved? I really appreciate any information that anyone may have to offer.

-Mike
 
Did you want to become an instructor as your main source of income?
 
More supplemental, however, I am in the tourism business now, and as summer comes to a close, I would be able to focus on this endeavor.
 
Cool I did not see that hours part on the website.

I spoke with my LDS today, and he told me that it was $300 for books, $500 for course, plus I was required to buy an entire new set of gear from his diveshop even though my gear is instructor quality. It is simply not the brand he carries, and all this is for the divemaster cert. I feel like that would be a rip off costing somewhere in the realm of $2000-2500.

Is that normal?
 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You're kidding right? He said you had to buy a whole new set of equipment from him? What was his reasoning behind this?
 
Ahh... marusso is familiar with ninja edit.

I've never heard of a LDS requiring new gear for DM just beacuse the brand is wrong. Sounds like a crock to me. Would this be a two week cram or a real internship?
 
marusso:
Cool I did not see that hours part on the website.

I spoke with my LDS today, and he told me that it was $300 for books, $500 for course, plus I was required to buy an entire new set of gear from his diveshop even though my gear is instructor quality. It is simply not the brand he carries, and all this is for the divemaster cert. I feel like that would be a rip off costing somewhere in the realm of $2000-2500.

Is that normal?

NO! Find a different dive shop that will not try to rip you off.
 
Marusso, sent you a lengthy PM. Hopefully you can use some of the info to help you get the course started. PM me if you need other info on them as I get further into the programs.

Prices sound right in line with SSI HQ.

On the gear issue. SSI wants its Dive Cons and instructors to use the gear that the authorized SSI dealer they are working through sells. It's a shop support issue as well as a customer service issue. If the lds sells a specific product and you dive it as a Dive Con or instructor, students will see what you use in class and ask quesitons about that particular gear. On the customer service side, since that brand(s) is sold, possibly serviced, through that particular lds, it makes keeping customers happier as they have less trouble getting gear serviced, repaired, or warrantied by the lds or manufacturer.

BUT, if that lds is telling you that you can't take his/her Dive Con or OWI course because you don't use his gear, find another lds to go through. For example, my lds carries a lot of Oceanic products, but I dive Zeagle Envoy regs, a Zeagle Ranger BCD (bump for Scott), ScubaPro Twin Jet fins, and a Zeus mask I stand behind the products I dive, but am willing to dive his product even if I don't purchase it, he isn't going to push me as long as I "educate" myself on his product line. Educating yourself to a particular lds's product line is the key in promoting their products. Hey, garbage in...garbage out! If they carry garbage products, then simply steer students to other products offered by the lds because you want students to respect your input and skills as a dive leader.

As a dive leader you will be the direct representative for SSI in the eyes of the students you teach. You can greatly influence their decision on gear, how/where/how often they dive, as well as continuing education. That said, explain to that particular lds that you are willing to educate yourself on their product line, but wish to dive YOUR gear. This will give the lds a broader opinion base to follow on gear, which is a positive step for the lds as some students do their own research on gear and WILL ask questions before they buy.
 
Yeah I thought the equipment thing was weird. All of his interns have exactly the same gear package, all the way down to the safety sausage, however when talking to him, he has an entirely different set of gear, similar to mine, that he uses on his personal vacations.

He said it would take 3 months, so I guess it would actually be an intern of sort.
 

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