SDI & TDI

[boulderjohn]

I think what people are telling you is to first devote yourself to becoming a highly skilled diver. The Divemaster course does not do that. It focuses on being part of a professional team, including helping with students.

There are some who say just "dive! dive! dive!" I am not of that opinion, either. I have seen too many divers with very poor skills who use the dive! dive! dive! philosophy to get those poor skills fully entrenched in their systems. What I think you should do is find a really good instructor--and take your time looking--who can teach you some good, sound diving techniques in a few simple classes--maybe only one really good one. Then make sure you use what you learn while you pile on the dive experiences. When looking for an instructor, I suggest you find one who regularly does more advanced diving, someone who does not just swim along the pretty reefs, where buoyancy and trim are not all that important.

 

[KevinNM]

I'm saying that the number of people who make a decent living in the West via teaching scuba alone is small and it will probably take significantly longer than you think to reach the point where you can do that. And keep in mind that you might decide this isn't going to work. Some people are just not good at teaching, or hate doing it. And getting paid to do something you hate for clients you despise isn't going to be an enjoyable career.

No matter how much fun something is as a hobby, when it's how you are feeding and clothing yourself it's a job. You have to do it every day, you get to do all the parts you hate, etc. I know a guy who loved to hunt. Every weekend he was off in the woods or mountains hunting. Then he figured out how to get a job as a professional hunter. It was great for the first 3 weeks, then it slowly became just another job. He still prefers it to roofing, but it is his job, not a hobby.

 

[oly5050user]

so basically what you are saying it's just a waste of time and money to do this if I plan to do this for living?

This reminds all here of a old, but very true, joke..that goes sort of like.."what can a large pizza do that a scuba instructor cannot ? Answer is " the large pizza can feed a family of 4 "

 

[Alessandro Calello]

Guys I'm investing a lot of money in this thing and it's not really motivating to know that you think I will waste them...

 

[KevinNM]

Guys I'm investing a lot of money in this thing and it's not really motivating to know that you think I will waste them...

Yes, that is why people talk about this here. The happy talk you get about how being a scuba instructor is a way that you can live comfortably is from people who you will pay money to learn to be a scuba instructor. They are financially motivated to make you think that this is a good investment.

Don't get me wrong, there are people who are successful full-time scuba instructors in the West who teach full time. But there are a LOT of scuba instructors in the West, and most, heck the vast majority, find it does not work out that way. It's like starting a band with your friends. If you never do it the chance that you'll be making a couple million a year from your music is zero, but if you go ahead and do it the odds are still quite low that you and your friends will be playing in stadiums for 50,000 screaming fans in 10 years and much much better that at best you'll be playing in bars for tips.

 

[DiverDownD3]

Guys I'm investing a lot of money in this thing and it's not really motivating to know that you think I will waste them...

I don't want you to take this the wrong way or feel like I'm attacking you, but you are asking people for their opinion and then getting upset/disappointed when they aren't giving you the answer you want to hear. From what I have observed in my brief time diving, I think you are getting very sound advice.
Like any other advanced education, it is an investment. You have to make a determination whether or not it's a good investment.
Look, I love diving too. I would love to do it everyday. But I also have a family to feed and shelter. Because of my job I make a very comfortable living and my family doesn't want for anything. I would not trade the lifestyle we have just so I could dive every day. That's just me and my situation. I'm also not saying that you can't provide a good lifestyle for your family by diving, but the chances aren't that good from what I've heard.
At the end of the day you have to make your life decisions on your own. I think you should be thankful for people being completely honest with you and not just blowing sunshine and roses up your butt.
Good luck

 

[Alessandro Calello]

Don't get me wrong, there are people who are successful full-time scuba instructors in the West who teach full time. But there are a LOT of scuba instructors in the West, and most, heck the vast majority, find it does not work out that way.

I don't want you to take this the wrong way or feel like I'm attacking you, but you are asking people for their opinion and then getting upset/disappointed when they aren't giving you the answer you want to hear.

I don't want to hear what I will like to hear, I appreciate the honesty, I'm just saying it's not motivating to hear that, maybe and I say maybe you don't know much about diving outside US? so maybe it will be able for me to find a spot somewhere in the world where I can work as an Instructor all year long? it's an investment on myself but not just for saying one day "oh by the way I'm a Diving Instructor" but because I want to do this for living.

 

[KevinNM]

I'll admit that looking back there are a lot more things I regret not doing or attempting than I regret having done or tried.

And yes, you can. The limiting factor is how much money you want to make. There is a group of people in the US who travel around and climb mountains, doing assorted jobs as needed. They are called climbing bums and typically live out of their car or camp for months at a time to minimize expenses. So yes, this is doable, but how it works out in the long run for you I have no idea.

Do note that in many countries it is technically illegal to work for pay without difficult to obtain paperwork, including places where scuba instructors commonly work.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

If instructors were removed from the equation and agencies were compared based on their course breakdown, training materials and standards then this is my understanding of the universe.

PSAI > NAUI > SDI/TDI > SSI > PADI

I really like the way PSAI manuals tend to end with gas planning sheets and US Navy tables etc. For other agencies, you may have to buy or download that stuff separately.