Best Divemaster Internship at the Bay Islands?

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Shadz

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I posted over at the general boards and was referred here. I got PADI open water certified last year and went diving in the Turks and Caicos and ever since then all I do is daydream about diving. I want to have an awesome summer that involves diving and I found a diving internship program at Utila and Subway, among other places.

Right now I'm talking to the guy from the Utila Dive Center and I like what I've seen so far from researching them.

Is there anywhere else you guys would recommend? Any stories you guys have from these places would be cool too, so I can get a feel for what I can expect when going.

Thanks!
 
I did my DM internship and instructor training on Utila. It was the best spring of my life. I had a blast and learned a lot. The atmosphere is really laid back. Basically you just proceed at whatever pace suits you. I did my training at BICD but I met Andy when I was doing some of my instructor training. He's a really great guy with good advice to offer. He is one of the best known and most respected course directors on the island.

My advice is to get a dive shop (Utila Dive Center is perfect) to commit to having a course director provide direct supervision of your training. I had course directors personally conduct 90% of my DM training. The last thing you want to happen is have a newly certified instructor provide your DM training. He/she may have been an open water diver like you a couple of months ago. Many just don't have the experience to be training another DM. I fee strongly about that. I personally don't think they should allow instructors with less than 50 or so (maybe more) certification to certify DM's.
Assuming you are planning to stay a couple of months or more, I'd recommend you see if you can't find an apartment on Utila to share with another DM candidate.

The days and evenings on Utila are just so much fun. The dive shop people are terrific as well as the locals. You'll not only meet other DM's but lots of students in a variety of other classes. As part of your DM training you'll actually assist in many classes. That was the best part for me.

Get to know some of the little road side stores owners and staff. Just great people. Don't get stressed out over little things. Relax and enjoy the best summer of your life.

There are several places for night life and you may have to pace yourself. It can be tempting to go out drinking and socializing every night. There are lots of places to hang out and talk. You'll meet people from all over the world which was something I hadn't expected.

Have a great time.
 
Awesome, I'm glad I picked Utila then. I've been e-mailing back and forth with Andy and I look forward to meeting him.
 
SHadz, +100 on everything Chuck said about getting a good instructor. You need a good isntructor who will teach you lots, even beyond the course...

Doing a DM internship is a blast! Enjoy!:coffee:
 
Couldn't agree more ncchuck,

Doing your internship at an IDC center which means they have a full time course director means a very high quality of training and a good variety of experience. Nearly all our Divemaster interns get the opportunity to assist me on an IDC at some point and get a really good idea of the next step up the ladder!
 
Couldn't agree more ncchuck,

Doing your internship at an IDC center which means they have a full time course director means a very high quality of training and a good variety of experience. !
Will, Are you suggesting that your basic PADI shop does not offer a high quality of training or a lesser quality? If your going to use this type of rationalization then wouldn't ALL diver training be best done at an IDC Center? Maybe they should just close down all the non IDC stores. Do you really think the divemasters certified there got any higher quality of training or more variety of experience than those certified by the thousands of non IDC stores without a CD?
And while someone who was a new Open water diver just a few short months ago would not be Ideal IMHO, They are certified to do so under PADI Standards so as a Course director if you feel there is a problem with quality of non IDC centers certifying DM's I sure hope you are vocal with PADI about this.
 
I think both of us are just saying you are more likely to get a more experienced and hopefully better training at a facility directly supervised by a course director. I once applied for a volunteer job (in Fiji) that I turned down because I would have been required to train through DM. I don't really care what PADI thinks, I don't think someone that became an instructor yesterday should be training the next lower level (DM) the next day. I personally believe they need a lot more experience and course directors have that.
A person can go from Open Water to Instructor in about 3 months and may only have 60 or so dives. I just don't think that's enough experience to be training someone that will be called a professional (DM). I think PADI is in fact wrong in that respect. I think they should require a certain number of Open Water, Advance, Rescue certifications before being allowed to train a DM.

My experience with course directors was just fantastic and I highly recommend that to everyone. It cost the same so why not get the best. (not counting travel and lodging expenses) I met lots of course directors in Utila and all were outstanding. I met even more instructors and most were mediocre at best.

I considered training at home as well as in other US locations but Utila was just a fantastic experience. I was fortunately enough to even travel to Thailand to check out 4 schools before I made my decision. I probably talked with 10 schools in various places before finally narrowing my choice to Utila and then BICD. I wouldn't trade the experiences in had in Utila for anything.
 
Will, Are you suggesting that your basic PADI shop does not offer a high quality of training or a lesser quality? .
No I am not, you put those words in mouth.

IDC centers are able to offer more courses which translates to more variety of courses to assist during your DM internship. Likewise a dive center that also offers Tec training will give a DM trainee exposure to this type of diving, further broadening their horizons. Quality of training and variety of training are two different things that often go hand in hand.

When selecting a dive center to train at, look at the courses they offer (and regularly teach) and you know how much variety in training you can expect, a very important part of the selection process.
 
When selecting a dive center to train at, look at the courses they offer (and regularly teach) and you know how much variety in training you can expect, a very important part of the selection process.
No argument here but please do not post such general things about IDC Centers offering more course. This is surely true for some but by no means all. Sure, your training and pushing an IDC center works for you but the only ones your kidding are those that don't realize all it takes to get to any padi level is basically the willingness to
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