dive master vs instructor?

[Jim Lapenta]

You do not need to be an instructor to teach a good photography class. Just a damn good diver and published photographer. One of my photo instructors I am going to take a class with hasn't been a scuba instructor since the late 90's. But he makes his living as a photographer. I'd rather take a class from him than an instructor who became a photo instructor by attending a workshop on how to market the class.

 

[Neilwood]

You do not need to be an instructor to teach a good photography class. Just a damn good diver and published photographer. One of my photo instructors I am going to take a class with hasn't been a scuba instructor since the late 90's. But he makes his living as a photographer. I'd rather take a class from him than an instructor who became a photo instructor by attending a workshop on how to market the class.

It is easier to teach someone to be a good diver than to be a good photographer.

Diving follows a pretty rigid set of rules and stick to them and 99.99%of the time everything will be fine.

Photography is different in that there are very few rules only guidelines. 100 people could take photos of the same event or scene and get 100 different results. Some will look good, some will such and a small amount will look great. Even sticking to the "rules" doesn't guarantee a good or great photo. Some of the best photographs break the "rules"-knowing when to stick to a rule and when to break one comes with experience. The good news with photography is people seldom get hurt

 

[tridacna]

The good news with photography is people seldom get hurt

The bad news with photography is that corals and sponges often get hurt.

I cringe when I see divers that have no business taking pictures underwater. The ones without the bouyancy skills necessary to be a responsible photographer. I think that the course should include a section on 'how not to destroy the reef while taking a picture' section.

 

[LaMissJude]

In the PADI system, a Divemaster is qualified to guide certified divers, to teach Scuba Review courses to certified divers, and to do the Confined Water part (not the Open Water part) of a Discover Scuba Diving program (if he/she qualified as a DSD Leader.)
An Instructor is qualified to do everything a Divermaster does, and he/she can teach from Bubblemaker to Divermater, and Specialities if qualified for it.

Most of the time, in foreign countries (at least, tropical countries), the foreign DM will, in fact, be Instructors, and the "real" DM will be locals. However, it is (slowly) changing and there are more and more local Instructors, which is a good thing.

I work in foreign (tropical) countries for the past 6 years, and I noticed the followings:
- There is usually a difference between salaries: locals get paid less (DM or Instructors) than a foreign Instructor. Ususally, the foreign Instructor speaks more usefull languages to the industry, and often, management expects more from the foreign employees than the locals. It's not something I invented or something I feel, it has been said in front of me.
- In any case, a DM will be paid less than an Instructor: the Instructor can do everything the DM does and he can teach.
- I never worked in a place where DM were working for free; I've seen Divermaster trainees doing their training in exchange of work.
- It's not impossible, but usually, it will be very difficult as a foreigh DM to get a job.
There is also the work permit to consider, and often, DM will not be enough: in the Maldives for example, it's not legal to employ foreign DM, or there can be quotas of work permit and then, it makes no sense to employ a foreigner that is "only" DM.
And, in any case, why employ a foreign DM when there are plenty in the country already? And being honest, I don't think many people could survive with the salary of a local DM in some country...
- Depending on the work place set-up, Instructors will too fill tanks, loads boats, sweep floors, fix stuff... They didn't forget all that suddenly when they became Instructors.
I am working now mainly in resorts, so in these types of environment, you usualy have "dive helpers" and "compressor boys". They are usually not divers at all, and do all the hard lifting jobs and fill the tanks. And I have to admit that their work is immensely appreciated.
- It's difficult to make a decent living out of the diving industry: salaries are often low, and conditions can be... difficult.
- You will never get "local prices": with time and efforts, you will get better price than tourists.

On a more general topic, and as it was said in previous posts, the more one can do, the more he/she will be employable: photo, video, languages (some of my colleagues can teach in 5), mecanic, equipment maintenance, computer skills, marketing, boat licence (this one is not necesseraly useful everywhere though... In the Maldives for example, only a Maldivian licenced captain can drive the boat), being able to teach speciallities... Anything related to diving and/or running a business.

To get the "good" jobs, as in any field I believe, one need the experience and the reputation (and/or the references.) Or he/she can climb the ladder. No matter the age, no matter how many certifications, when someone comes in a new field, he/she is the "newbie", the same goes with the diving industry.

As said Jim Lapenta, in order to teach photography, a diver doesn't need to be an Instructor of any sort; "just" a damn good underwater photographer and a very good diver too. He/she, to my knowledge, will not be able to deliver a certification recognised by any diving agency, but that's not very important.

However, on a liability release suject, I guess it's another story, but I can be wrong... I'm assuming that as good as a diver can be in a fiels such as wreck, technical diving or any "speciality", no insurance will cover anything in case of problem if the "teacher" is not a certified Instructor from the speciality he/she is teaching (in active teaching status.)

 

[Colliam7]

As for the part you didn't understand. I was eluding to the fact, that instead of being an open water instructor (with high overturn rate and better job security) would it be worth while to focus, in say a specialty field. Such as an advance diving course, like wreck, night, or photography dives. But do people do that? Avoid teaching the newbies in Open Water, and focusing on the aspects of diving that they personally love, with the ability to make a reasonable penny?

OK, I think I better understand your comment: as I read your post, I think the question is, do instructors find more opportunity if they concentrate on specialties than on entry level (open water) training? That one is tough to answer. I probably do that myself to an extent, because there are many more (competent) OW instructors than (competent) specialty instructors for some of the things I (like to) teach. Which puts me in a possibly advantageous position. But, the key words for me are 'like to'. I prefer to teach courses that I particularly like to teach. And, that is not a play on words. Do I prefer to teach Open Water or Advanced Open Water? Frankly, I prefer AOW. I have a set structure that I have developed over the years, the 'diversity' of skills among the students is possibly a bit narrower than among ZOW students, and the course takes less time overall than OW. It is not the compensation as much as the content and structure. Which do I enjoy more, teaching Deep Diver or Tec Diver or Self-Reliant Diver, vs teaching AOW? Well, I probably prefer the specialties to teaching AOW. But, I teach OW, and AOW, and specific specialties, and tec, etc. because that is what the shop with which i am affiliated needs. And, properly training competent OW students is a personal belief of mine. And, some of those students then feed into specialties that I teach.

 

[padi0013]

All new divers need to learn the same basic dive theory and skills, so nearly all the major training agencies use near-identical basic training techniques and entry-level course syllabuses (and durations). The resultant 'Level 1' certifications therefore all place similar limitations on newly-qualified divers, regardless of agency (must dive with a buddy, no deeper than 18-20 m depth, non-decompression dives only, etc.).

The only major difference between the various entry-level stage courses will be which (proprietary) dive table the student learns to use for the 'dive planning' portion of the classroom theory. Since all these tables give similar results for single no-stop dives (the BSAC '88 tables being probably the most conservative), they are equally reliable, so this is really only a 'cosmetic' difference. (And anyway, post-certification, most recreational divers nowadays use a dive computer(s) as their primary means of monitoring tissue-nitrogen status, rather than printed tables.)

The differences between agencies start to creep in as you go up the levels in the various training systems, because different agencies place value on different skills at each level; most notably the different attitudes towards advanced diver-rescue skills (e.g. 'controlled buoyant lifts' of an unconscious diver, in-water resuscitation, etc.).

 

[claymore]

I have a little different perspective on being a DM or an Instructor when working with students. As a DM I have the responsibility assisting the Instructor the with the class, helping guide student to the proper locations in training areas,working with students on one to one basis when a student needs remedial help on a skill, but most importantly I am the eyes watching the rest class while the instructor is working with a student.

I enjoy being a DM because I get to help with the instruction process but I am not tied to spending most of the time in the water working directly instructing students. I get to actually dive during the classes. I am almost always moving in the water checking on students and looking for problems, so it gives me lots of time to work on my diving skills. I also do not have to deal with the majority of the paper work involved in the classes.

I have no desire to become an instructor because I do not want the responsibility that it brings and I dive to enjoy diving not spending the majority of my time directly instructing students especially in the OWI ,OWII and to some extent AOW.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

All new divers need to learn the same basic dive theory and skills, so nearly all the major training agencies use near-identical basic training techniques and entry-level course syllabuses (and durations). The resultant 'Level 1' certifications therefore all place similar limitations on newly-qualified divers, regardless of agency (must dive with a buddy, no deeper than 18-20 m depth, non-decompression dives only, etc.).

The only major difference between the various entry-level stage courses will be which (proprietary) dive table the student learns to use for the 'dive planning' portion of the classroom theory. Since all these tables give similar results for single no-stop dives (the BSAC '88 tables being probably the most conservative), they are equally reliable, so this is really only a 'cosmetic' difference. (And anyway, post-certification, most recreational divers nowadays use a dive computer(s) as their primary means of monitoring tissue-nitrogen status, rather than printed tables.)

The differences between agencies start to creep in as you go up the levels in the various training systems, because different agencies place value on different skills at each level; most notably the different attitudes towards advanced diver-rescue skills (e.g. 'controlled buoyant lifts' of an unconscious diver, in-water resuscitation, etc.).

No they don't. This is a fallacy perpetuated by those who want new divers to believe they are all basically the same. Some agencies include the "higher level rescue skills" in the basic open water class. They also require longer minimum hours for classroom and pool. Some actually prohibit one or two weekend quickie certs.
It may take some research to find these classes but they are out there.

The new diver needs to treat a basic open water course like a research project. They need to treat the instructor and shop like employees. They need to interview them like they would someone who was going to watch their kids. I put entire chapters on how to do this in my book. One for instructors and one for shops.
If a new diver is told that all basic open water instruction is pretty much the same, they should run from the person telling them that. Or ask that person to show them the standards for the different agencies in writing. Not take their word for it. I have the agency standards for eight different basic open water courses so I can do just that.

 

[TMHeimer]

I have a little different perspective on being a DM or an Instructor when working with students. As a DM I have the responsibility assisting the Instructor the with the class, helping guide student to the proper locations in training areas,working with students on one to one basis when a student needs remedial help on a skill, but most importantly I am the eyes watching the rest class while the instructor is working with a student.

I enjoy being a DM because I get to help with the instruction process but I am not tied to spending most of the time in the water working directly instructing students. I get to actually dive during the classes. I am almost always moving in the water checking on students and looking for problems, so it gives me lots of time to work on my diving skills. I also do not have to deal with the majority of the paper work involved in the classes.

I have no desire to become an instructor because I do not want the responsibility that it brings and I dive to enjoy diving not spending the majority of my time directly instructing students especially in the OWI ,OWII and to some extent AOW.

Yeah, that's me.