Instructing overseas

[scubaRach]

:10: My name is Rachel and I signed up to Scubaboard after I noticed a link on the PADI website. I was having problems getting paid work as an instructor. Since then I have had two jobs in scuba, one in Oz and one here in New Zealand. Sadly, as we are now entering the winter, the job seems to be more retail orientated so not much diving for me, (probably not a bad idea since I only own a 5mm suit at the moment!). Anyway, I am originally from the UK, where I was so badly treated as an instructor, working 14 hours a day without a day off for weeks and only getting 2 quid an hour! Thankfully, the quality of my diving jobs has gone up since then - perhaps because I am not so experience dependent, a bit wiser to the industry and not so vulnerable or maybe I was unlucky at the start. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on this, have you had similar experiences working in diving? Do you think that poor pay and long hours are the nature of this industry? Hope to hear from yas soon, Rach :10:

 

[mobymark]

Welcome to the board!! Been to Gozo??

 

[H2Andy]

Rachel, i've moved your thread here pending your acceptance in the Instructor to
Instructor forum (see my private message). that is the best place to ask your question.

for now, Instructors and DM's please feel free to chime in while we get Rachel into
the I2I forum

 

[DORSETBOY]

Wages ar generally v. low in the industry. A lot of this is because people may do a course on holiday and want the course as cheaply as they can. When I worked out in thailand this was fine as you could easily live off around 20k baht (£350 in our money) as a dm if you were prudent.

I worked briefly in cyprus, mainly commision based and on a crap salary, everything was more expensive and my wages did not meet my costs, hence me 'doing a runner' from there as my then boss had a reputation for threatening to report people to cypriot immigration if he felt they'd crossed him.

I dont consider myself to be a fantastic instructor but I know many instructors who are and have had to leave the industry because of poor wages / conditions.

 

[Mako Mark]

Rach,
there will be a lot of people that will tell you that it is imposible to make good money in the dive industry. One of the boards favorite sayings is if you want to make a million dollars in diving, you have to start with two million.

This is not all true though, you can make good money, but you not only have to work hard, you also have to work smart.

We dont all do it for the money though, but we all do have bills to pay and mouths to feed, so if you are young and independant, jump on a plane, fly somewhere exotic and while you are earning a crap wage, have a hell of a good time doing it. If you want to get rich, become a stockbroker.

That is why I left good ole Aotearoa.

 

[Jeddah Aquanaut]

Rach,
there will be a lot of people that will tell you that it is imposible to make good money in the dive industry. One of the boards favorite sayings is if you want to make a million dollars in diving, you have to start with two million.

This is not all true though, you can make good money, but you not only have to work hard, you also have to work smart.

We dont all do it for the money though, but we all do have bills to pay and mouths to feed, so if you are young and independant, jump on a plane, fly somewhere exotic and while you are earning a crap wage, have a hell of a good time doing it. If you want to get rich, become a stockbroker.

That is why I left good ole Aotearoa.

Gee, that really makes me want to run out and take the IDC! That was my Peace Corps experience in a nutshell: I was young and independent, lived in an exotic location and had a hell of a good time while earning a crap wage. Sounds like P. Corps and Instructor-life are much the same!

 

[DORSETBOY]

. Sounds like P. Corps and Instructor-life are much the same!

I'd imagine they are! nothing wrong with that though as long as a low wage will be sufficient to maintain a reasonable lifestyle in the area your based for teaching.

 

[scubaRach]

Hey guys! Thanks for all your comments. I imagine that most instructors/DMs would've had a similar experience to me and I am no stranger to the fact that this is a poorly paid industry. I suppose what I was asking was, does it need to be? Within a year of on-and-off teaching I have not yet managed to re-gain what I invested in my Instructor training, let alone actually profitted from my career! I am not bitter though, I am happily still working in the industry and taking a well-earned break from teaching. I am just worried that the industry is exploiting those it means to encourage further and I believe many will be discouraged from teaching/diving for life.
From the moment I took my first breath underwater I wanted to ba able to give the same to others. At the time, I did, in my own way as a journalist, in my writing but ultimately I envisaged my own PADI centre/watersports complex and I set out to learn all I could about working in the industry and what I would be up against. Sadly, all this has done is put me off and I would be quite happy to let go of my once inspirational dream and go home and have babies or something!! RP

 

[scubaRach]

Welcome to the board!! Been to Gozo??

Thank you for your lovely welcome Moby Mark. No I have never been to Gozo! What am I missing? I'll bet the diving is great there right now!

Rach x

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

Hi there. This industry may be a bit difficult to get started in because of crap wages but there are some good jobs out there. I think I am the same way you are, I don't want the retail side as much, I want to be in the water. I work for Norwegian Cruise Lines as an instructor. I don't get to dive very often, but I lead snorkeling trips in the ports of call that we have. Currently I am on the Norwegian Majesty and we sail from Boston to Bermuda every week and stay in Bermuda for 3 days. I lead 4 snorkeling trips in those three days so I do get in the water a lot. Every once in a while I can dive on my own time. It may not be a lot of diving, but you're in the water and you start out making more money than average in entry-level for this industry. It's a lot of fun cruising the world and getting paid to do it. There is a lot of gratification you get from the people. Dive-In Instructors with NCL also have it pretty good on the ships. A lot of the crew can't even go in public areas if off duty and can never eat in the fancy restaurant onboard. Instructors have free reign of the ship and one of the best jobs on the ship. If this sounds cool, PM me and I can get you some more information. This is a great job to save some money if that's what you need because there is nothing you really have to pay for as far as living expenses. Unless of course, you find the crew bar. Anyway, that's my two cents. Good luck!

Hey guys! Thanks for all your comments. I imagine that most instructors/DMs would've had a similar experience to me and I am no stranger to the fact that this is a poorly paid industry. I suppose what I was asking was, does it need to be? Within a year of on-and-off teaching I have not yet managed to re-gain what I invested in my Instructor training, let alone actually profitted from my career! I am not bitter though, I am happily still working in the industry and taking a well-earned break from teaching. I am just worried that the industry is exploiting those it means to encourage further and I believe many will be discouraged from teaching/diving for life.
From the moment I took my first breath underwater I wanted to ba able to give the same to others. At the time, I did, in my own way as a journalist, in my writing but ultimately I envisaged my own PADI centre/watersports complex and I set out to learn all I could about working in the industry and what I would be up against. Sadly, all this has done is put me off and I would be quite happy to let go of my once inspirational dream and go home and have babies or something!! RP