New instructor leaving Australia via Fiji, hoping to end up in the Caribbean - where?

[amythompson62]

Thanks in advance for any insights anyone has....

I recently passed my IE here in Australia, having done my DM earlier in the year over in Cozumel. Ideally I would of liked to work as a DM here in Queensland, however the reality is no-one will hire you as a dive guide or a divemaster unless you're AT LEAST an OWSI and I decided to just pitch right in with my instructors and see what happened.

I've been diving for around 6 years now with around 170 dives so diving isn't a new 'fad' for me - I decided to give up my career in March and see where this'll take me, ideally getting back a little bit closer to home (London) than Australia.

Now I think I'll actually leave Australia a little sooner than planned - and was wondering where in the Caribbean people perhaps think would be a good to book my initial plane ticket to. Obviously diving as a career is all new to me, and I've very conscious that I likely wont have any certs by the time I get there unless I pick up a few in Fiji where I plan to stop for a month or two. For me, money is not a big deal (I've realised this through doing a "real" job that pays "real" money" ) - but obviously I need to survive - so I guess I'm asking for ANY advice anyone has regarding a good place to start the job hunt somewhere where I'll earn enough to pay for a room, eat modestly and have a few beers now and then.

After travelling through Belize earlier in the year I'm ruling that out, and immigration in Mexico have recently started cracking down on undocumented workers so I'm not risking that. I also think I'm ruling the last hotspot in the Western Caribbean out - Roatan/Utila as I'm assuming that there will be a MILLION new instructors coming out of there on a monthly basis and I wouldn't have that much to distinguish me from the rest who people already know....

Last thing - I'm British - don't think this really helps in the visa situation (perhaps maybe with the French islands??) but am open to go anywhere basically where I wouldn't have to live in constant fear of getting chucked out for working on the sly!!

Cheers again,
Amy

 

[Oldbear]

Amy,

I received an email from Diver Down in UAE. They are looking for an Instructor in Dubai. I think that they are posting their add in PADI PRO site classified section. Divers Down, Dubai & Fujairah, UAE | SCUBA Diving Dubai They are also British if that helps you.

BSAC has several clubs in the Emirates. One of my favorite trips to Dubai was sharing a pint with a great Scotsman named Gordon...SB aka Searcaigh. BTW Dubai is a great flight hub to wonderful places in the world to dive like Red Sea, Bali, Maldives and Thailand.

Good luck,

~Oldbear~

 

[scoobydrew]

If you are heading to the Caribbean then I would try to get an idea of where first and see what their visa requirements. E.g. I work on Grand Cayman and you would not be able to just come here and apply for a job, you'd need papers from home like a police clearance and immigration would not start a work permit application for someone that is on island. Comin here (for example) first would be a good way of meeting dive centre staff and owners but as soon as someone offers you a job you'd have to leave the island thus incurring cost of flight tickets. I guess it depends on your funds.

If you have time then why not go through the PADI store locator picking up email addresses and sending your CV out as far accross the Caribbean as you would be interested in working in. If you don't have much diving background to list as experience then look at good transferable skills from your past jobs. Tailor the email as much as you can in each case.

 

[supergaijin]

As a PADI? instructor you have access to the PADI professionals website which advertises job vacancies. I would suggest you start there, hope to get a good placement and/or be prepared to change dive centers when you are in the area.

Many of the 'best' jobs are not advertised. I have answered about 10 job vacancies in my career. In that time I only stayed more than one year in 1 place for various reasons- most having to do with the 'factory' nature of the diving industry in many popular destinations.

 

[diversteve]

Being British I'd concentrate on those areas where that's an advantage. I knew about the Cayman restrictions also and I believe Belize has an active program to recruit Belizeans so that re-affirms your decision.

Maybe look for something in the BVI's, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos or possibly Bermuda? In the BVI's DiveBVI is the primary shop on Virgin Gorda and they're SSI but there's other PADI shops on Tortola. Kind of a limited market though - this is all of them: bviscuba.org.

Here's a place to start contacting people in the Bahamas - Bahamas Government Portal - BDA Members

Most of the diving in the Turks/Caicos seems to center on Providenciales (Provo) or Grand Turk. We did a liveaboard there so I don't know the shore-based ops. You can pick them out from the list here: Scuba Diving and Snorkeling in Turks and Caicos Turks and Caicos Tourist Board

Downside is that none of these locations are inexpensive. Turks and Caicos was very expensive. I know nothing about Bermuda.

For a fairly realistic assessment of your chances on Roatan, I'd contact Gay or P.J. who own Coconut Tree Divers. She knows everyone and he's been diving for years in the Carib. They're really decent, honest people so could give you an honest assessment of your chances - both are British ex-pats. Scuba Diving | PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center | Roatan, Bay Islands

If there was something available in that area the West End can be very reasonable for living expenses. All sorts of monthly apartment rentals and food is very reasonable. You wouldn't need a car either. Medical facilities aren't the best but there is a chamber at Anthony's Key Resort.

Thought about a liveaboard? I occasionally see crew positions available. Not great for putting down roots but at least you have a place to stay/work weekly. I've talked to several Instructors on trips and they work while specializing in areas such as getting a 100 ton captains license with the thought of being offered their own boat. I know a couple on the Explorer who are doing just that currently. In the Caribbean, the two primary operators are Explorer Ventures or the Aggressor Fleet.

Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Diving: Employment
Aggressor and Dancer Fleet - Employment

good luck,

 

[amythompson62]

I think me along with most other people would LOVE a job on the Caymans!! However I'm assuming that being newly certified I'm going to have more luck with meeting people in person rather than emailing? So I guess the "where" is most of my question (I'm happy to go anywhere!!), where do people think I am most likely to find a dive shop willing to take a chance on a newbie, otherwise I'll be blindly going around applying for work permits left right and centre most of which seem to require an employer sponsor ANYWAY in the Caribbean unless I'm mistaken?

---------- Post added September 17th, 2014 at 12:30 PM ----------

Thanks for the suggestions DiverSteve - I'll definitely start my focus on those ideas I think.

I have plenty of experience working on the overnight charters here in the Whitsundays as a hostess/deckhand and am currently working on the day trips out to the GBR as a cruise attendant so a liveaboard would actually be something I would love to do. Though again, it looked like the Aggressor requirements were for some pretty experienced dive crew globally? Will check out the Explorer Fleet also, cheers.

 

[diversteve]

I wouldn't even know how to tell you where to start to look for a job but there are quite a few large single boat catamaran sailing operations in the BVI's that offer diving also. A couple of them are listed on the bviscuba.org page. Most seem smaller operations - when I review them it's often the same crew - often a couple. Some flex other crew in as needed. It's probably not enough to keep you employed full-time but it could be a start. Maybe check with a company like Moorings also - somebody is guiding the diving on these trips: http://www.moorings.com/vacation-options/luxury-crewed-yacht-charter/ultimate-dive-bvi.

Work for The Moorings | The Moorings