Recreational to Pro, tips please?!

[inndiera]

Good day SCUBABOARD:

I am leaving the military after 12 year career and multiple deployments. Now looking to take a break from medicine (my job in the forces) to do my most favourite thing in the world: DIVE. 300+ rec dives, but now looking at DM training or internship. Don't want to work like a slave. I really want to learn with a place that LOVES diving, and isn't crazy commercialized. I also would like to use my Mandarin skills (grew up in China until my teens), so probably a place in SE Asia that gets mainlander divers. Also considering getting instructors after DM.

Any tips or recommendations would be great?!!

Thank you so much,

 

[1bubbleoff]

Good day SCUBABOARD



I am leaving the military after 12 year career and multiple deployments. Now looking to take a break from medicine (my job in the forces) to do my most favourite thing in the world: DIVE. 300+ rec dives, but now looking at DM training or internship. Don't want to work like a slave. I really want to learn with a place that LOVES diving, and isn't crazy commercialized. I also would like to use my Mandarin skills (grew up in China until my teens), so probably a place in SE Asia that gets mainlander divers. Also considering getting instructors after DM.

Any tips or recommendations would be great?!!

Thank you so much,

 

[DeputyDan]

DM = Slave.

Just find a nice place to dive.

 

[boulderjohn]

I think there are a lot of places in southeast Asia, particularly the Indonesia area, where you could enjoy yourself. this is particularly true because the Chinese market is exploding, so someone who speaks the language can be in great demand.

Note, though, that with many operations, the people you think of as DMs are actually instructors. They may have DMd your dive, but they may be instructing someone the next day. Just be ready to move to an area of need.

 

[Diving Dubai]

DM = Slave.

What utter nonsense!

 

[Diving Dubai]

Agree with @boulderjohn about Indonesia. A good friend of mine runs a shop their and it's primary customers are Chinese. They tend to be challenging.

The Cost of DM and then OWSI is not inconsiderable, so often shops that give an internship in return for some or part of the course can be a good compromise

The DM course can be fun and challanging. You do learn quite a lot about yourself and whether being an instructor is for you. Learnign to carry out the skills circuit to demonstration quality (i.e slowly and clearly with exaggerated gestures) while being neutral in shallow water can be a challenge, even for people with good buoyancy control.

Similarly when guiding you need to be on your game, often you get quite in experienced divers who need a lot of attention (buoyancy and gas consumption)

Of course you'll be expected to muck in with loading and unloading boats and general dive shop duties much the same as everyone else.

While diving is fun, if you want to move to Instructor, get a lot of time in the pool assisting, watch all the little details the instructor uses to control the students during skills and how they help students who don't get the skills or have problems. The more pool experience you get teh easier IDC & IE will be

Before you start, get your dive theory upto scratch, it one of the things people struggle most with. The Theroy exams for OWSI are much harder than DM. Make sure you really know the RDP and ERDPml.

Enjoy the process. A friend of mine quit her job for some time out and took her DM in Mozambique - She's had a blast clearly had the trip and experience of a lifetime.

My only regret with DM then OWSI is not taking it sooner

 

[Trailboss123]

Good day SCUBABOARD:

I am leaving the military after 12 year career and multiple deployments. Now looking to take a break from medicine (my job in the forces) to do my most favourite thing in the world: DIVE. 300+ rec dives, but now looking at DM training or internship. Don't want to work like a slave. I really want to learn with a place that LOVES diving, and isn't crazy commercialized. I also would like to use my Mandarin skills (grew up in China until my teens), so probably a place in SE Asia that gets mainlander divers. Also considering getting instructors after DM.

Any tips or recommendations would be great?!!

Thank you so much,

First of all, thank you for your 12 years of military service! Second, I think it is great that you are considering moving toward becoming an instructor. I would agree with @boulderjohn - given your fluency in Mandarin, once you are a certified instructor, you should find easy employment in most of the Asian hotspots like Indonesia, Singapore, Maldives, Palau, Malaysia or Thailand. I am not aware personally of any places that I could recommend to do your DM and Instructor certs in Asia, but I am sure there are plenty and I have seen some replies on the board from shops in Bali, in particular, that have advertised internship programs. I am more familiar with internship programs in Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Roatan and Utila. Also, you will find employment much easier if you are an instructor, as opposed to just a DM. All the best!

 

[Vuk Milicevic]

Good day SCUBABOARD:

I am leaving the military after 12 year career and multiple deployments. Now looking to take a break from medicine (my job in the forces) to do my most favourite thing in the world: DIVE. 300+ rec dives, but now looking at DM training or internship. Don't want to work like a slave. I really want to learn with a place that LOVES diving, and isn't crazy commercialized. I also would like to use my Mandarin skills (grew up in China until my teens), so probably a place in SE Asia that gets mainlander divers. Also considering getting instructors after DM.

Any tips or recommendations would be great?!!

Thank you so much,

Thank you for your service.

 

[Skulmoski]

Congratulations for what you have done so far. Recommendations:
1) You have enough dives so I would recommend speeding through the DM and start the instructor course immediately after that. You will have more commercial opportunities if you are an instructor.
2) Complete both the Dive Theory, DM and Instructor online courses. This way you can complete the skills component more quickly and reach your end goal. I completed DM in 16 days. I did not hang out and party (wake up tired the next day and skip diving). I took control of my course and worked with the instructors on a daily basis to complete the requirements.
3) A commercially busy dive centre will provide the opportunity to complete the DM and Instructor courses quickly. Then you can move on to actually instruct. By instructing students yourself, you will also accelerate your learning. A less busy dive centre may provide you with more coaching and the pace might be more relaxed (e.g. take longer to complete the courses).

Good luck

GJS