Considering entering the scuba world!

[hanyag]

Ok Guys, Thanks for all the great info. So I looked into the course again. It seems maybe I did misunderstand it? What it says is you will be certified in the following:
• PADI Advanced
• PADI Emergency First Response
• PADI Rescue Diver
• PADI Divemaster
• PADI Night Diver
• PADI Multi level Diver
• PADI Deep Diver
• PADI Wreck Diver
• PADI Equipment Specialty
• PADI Drift Diver or Search & Recovery Diver
• DAN O2 Specialty
• PADI Assistant Instructor
• PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
• Dan O2 Instructor
• Emergency First Response Instructor
• PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer prep
• Five PADI Specialty Instructor Trainer
(Navigation, Night, Deep, Wreck, Search &
Recovery) **
**10 dives in each specialty required to get Instructor
Required Ratings
The Pro Plus Course is a 12-14 week full time course providing training in Advanced, Emergency First Response,
Rescue, and Divemaster levels.

So how much training do you have to take before you can take this course?

Also, I want to do the scuba diving thing for fun, but also to make money. I don't have any education....and I want to make more money than regular minimum paying crap jobs I'm working. And I want to make more money doing something I enjoy...cause I hate working. hhahaha. But seriously...I'm not looking to get rich...just make money to support myself....ya know? Anyone out that can answer this for me?

What about the courses? are they difficult? I was told they are super hard....?

 

[ScubyDoo]

Ok Guys, Thanks for all the great info. So I looked into the course again. It seems maybe I did misunderstand it? What it says is you will be certified in the following:
• PADI Advanced
• PADI Emergency First Response
• PADI Rescue Diver
• PADI Divemaster
• PADI Night Diver
• PADI Multi level Diver
• PADI Deep Diver
• PADI Wreck Diver
• PADI Equipment Specialty
• PADI Drift Diver or Search & Recovery Diver
• DAN O2 Specialty
• PADI Assistant Instructor
• PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
• Dan O2 Instructor
• Emergency First Response Instructor
• PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer prep
• Five PADI Specialty Instructor Trainer
(Navigation, Night, Deep, Wreck, Search &
Recovery) **
**10 dives in each specialty required to get Instructor
Required Ratings
The Pro Plus Course is a 12-14 week full time course providing training in Advanced, Emergency First Response,
Rescue, and Divemaster levels.

So how much training do you have to take before you can take this course?

Also, I want to do the scuba diving thing for fun, but also to make money. I don't have any education....and I want to make more money than regular minimum paying crap jobs I'm working. And I want to make more money doing something I enjoy...cause I hate working. hhahaha. But seriously...I'm not looking to get rich...just make money to support myself....ya know? Anyone out that can answer this for me?

What about the courses? are they difficult? I was told they are super hard....?

Wow...looks to me like someone is looking to make money from YOU!.. You just listed almost every course PADI has, and as far as I know there isnt a unified curriculum that includes all of them together. You start by taking the PADI Open Water course, which is all you need to be a certified diver. If you want to go beyond that you can take the Advanced Open Water Course, which PADI now calls Adventures in Diving. This is comprised of 5 adventure courses/dives, of which deep diving and navigation are mandatory.....combined with three electives....like night diving, boat diving, search & recovery. From there you can take Emergency First Response course which is a prerequisite for the Rescue course. Once certified as a rescue diver, you are eligible to take the Divemaster course....then the Assistant Instructor course....then the Instructor.. Each of these classes costs hundreds and hundreds of dollars, and the higher courses require a minimum number of dives under belt before you can certify.

Ive been diving for 4 years, and am just now completing my divemaster rating. Its always a good idea to get dives and experience under your belt before jumping to higher levels of certification. Take it one step at a time, and dont expect to make a career or a profit out of it.

 

[craborn]

AL is correct.... We must learn to dive before we instruct diving..... Take a scuba class. You will love it and be hooked as all of us are. Then do a lot of diving and have fun while you are taking continuing education classes in diving such as advanced and rescue, then take your Dive Master and help some instructors and see if that is what you want to do. Good Luck... I personally love teaching scuba..... Remember we all started by signing up for our first class.

 

[boulderjohn]

What you saw with that list is the entire PADI path, from the beginning to just below the first assistant to the President. Go much farther and you will own PADI. Going that entire route is for only a select few--it takes many years and many thousands of dollars.

Everyone else is right--complete the first step and go as far as your heart takes you.

 

[hanyag]

Ok, I don't understand...everyone says it takes thousands of dollars and years to complete everything I listed above. If so than why is it offered in a 12-14 week course that only costs like $5000 approx? And regardless of what people say, I've looked into it thoroughly. Its a very good course. Fully accredited. Its done at FRANK WHITES DIVE SHOP. Which is supposed to be very well known. So I'm slightly confused. You guys should totally check it out though at http://www.frankwhites.com/ioc/index.html

 

[426Scuba]

Don't forget to add in money for your gear. A drysuit alone will cost $1000+
If I was you I would get certified first before you commited to this to see if you will even like it.

Ask this school if they have a placement program and if you could get a list of some former students for referals.

I tried to make a career out of one of my hobbies (not diving) and It kind of tainted it for me for a while, but everyone is diffrent.

 

[annasea]

hanyag,

Seeing as the dive shop is located in Victoria, BC, you may want to try asking about it in the BC sub-forum found here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=437

Perhaps someone there can offer some firsthand experience.

 

[Damselfish]

Ok, I don't understand...everyone says it takes thousands of dollars and years to complete everything I listed above. If so than why is it offered in a 12-14 week course that only costs like $5000 approx? And regardless of what people say, I've looked into it thoroughly. Its a very good course. Fully accredited. Its done at FRANK WHITES DIVE SHOP. Which is supposed to be very well known. So I'm slightly confused. You guys should totally check it out though at http://www.frankwhites.com/ioc/index.html

well, $5000 for the course + $4-5000 for equipment that they list is thousands of dollars.

as far as why - because there is a market for this and they can obviously make money offering it. Not necessarily because it is a good idea. I'm sure you can theoretically do all the classes and meet all the minimum standards in that time. And maybe you would even pass the IE (which is separate.) But it's doubtful you would be very good at much of it in that short a time. Better to become a good diver first with some varied experience, which just doesn't happen overnight. (Note it also it says right there you can't do the IE until you have been OW certified for at least a year.)

 

[Divingbliss]

Like everyone said, it takes a sizable commitment to become a good instructor, but a career can be had if you're willing to do what it takes.

The instructors here on Koh Tao make pretty good money. Especially considering the high US$ exchange rate and the low cost of living. Like DeputyDan says, more than one language helps, but shops in this neck of the woods seem to prefer men.

I've also heard rumors about a new series of books coming out next year about working abroad in the industry.

Good luck and happy divin'!

 

[Scuba_RN]

Just because they offer the course doesn't make it a good idea for you to actually take it. Sure, they can provide you with the certifications- but what you really need is the experience that comes with taking each class at a time and then diving a bit before moving on to the next class.

Scuba is just like anything else in life- you need practice. Doctors and nurses need years of clinicals before they can practice medicine on their own. Same principle.

I think you are looking at that course thinking "great, this is cheaper than college, would provide me with a career, and I can make money doing something fun".

It looks like a good idea on paper, but it simply is not realistic.

The problem is that no one is going to hire you without the experience. As a student, I would never try and get an additional certification from someone that went the fast track like you are suggesting. I would also never pay to go out on a dive with a DM that has been in scuba for less than 3 years. I would run from not only you, but also what ever dive shop was insane enough to hire you.

Life isn't fair, and it isn't easy. There certainly is no 'collect $200 when you pass go' rule. Most things worth having require a tremendous amount of work and dedication- and being a scuba professional is no different.