Divemaster questions

[Blackrock]

I have been considering going for Padi Divemaster next summer and researched a bit on this site and others. I have also talked to someone at my LDS. I still have some questions remaining that I need answered before making my decision.

***What are the realistic employment opportunities for a Divemaster? I know the theoretical opportunities but I want to know the reality of the situation. How often do Divemasters get hired for liveaboards and what is the usual pay? How often do Divemasters (as opposed to company hiring an instructor) get hired in tourist tropical locations and what is the average pay? At this time I have no long-term goals to become an instructor. I am going traveling next year and thought perhaps I could supplement my traveling by picking up work as a divemaster in various locations. Is that feasible?

***As far as the training itself goes, I heard 2 things. 1) The LDS works you to death during your "internship" and you're basically a glorified slave. 2) "No No that's not true. You just help out with classes a few times." Which one is it and is there any benefit to working like a slave?

***The prices for training seems to vary widely as well. My LDS told me it would cost me about $1200 after I figure in the cost of materials. Yet other places have different prices listed on their websites...In Thailand it costs $900 at one place, $500 in Bonaire. But I spoke with a place in Bonaire and they told me if I did a good job during my internship (that would last 2 months working 5 days/week for no pay) I would not actually have to pay for the course. What should I really expect to pay for it?

Thank you all for the responses.

 

[nereas]

With PADI you will be Putting Another Dollar In. Stores like this will suck your blood (time and money).

If you look around your neighborhood, you may be able to find a NAUI store or SSI that would be willing to charge you -0- for the D/M course, provided that you assist with classes for 1 year.

Either way, you will be assisting with classes for $-0- pay.

It therefore makes more sense to get a store to agree to let you "work off" the D/M course, rather than charge you for it.

After your D/M certification is complete, then you possibly may be able to find a dive boat locally that lets you work for tips. That is likely the only "pay" that you are going to find at the D/M level.

[I don't remember if Connecticut has a coast??]

[No maps handy either!!]

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yes Connecticut has a coast, sorta We call it the Long Island Sound.

 

[TTT103]

I completed my Divemaster course in the Caribbean last month. With that said, I had all of the reading, knowledge reviews, Encyclopedia, and workbook completed in advance so that I did not have to spend the time studying while in the Caribbean. There is definitely a considerable amount of prep work required if you are going to go the route I went. Honestly, I would suggest taking the course with a local LDS, which will offer scheduled classroom sessions at a more reasonable pace than I subjected myself to. Although self-study worked for me, the theory was not exactly a cake walk. I would also guess that an LDS will better guide you so that you don't study every single concept and formula in the Encyclopedia, as I did. The $1,200 being charged by your LDS is not much more than the other locations you quoted. I woudl go with your LDS, if you are comfortable with them. The purpose of my going the Divemaster route was simply for personal improvement, as I have no intentions of quitting my day job. As such, I had no interest in taking the course for free locally and then having to commit to my local LDS for a period of time.

In terms of my internship requirements, I was the only Divemaster candidate at the resort so I conducted the Discover Scuba Diving course (under my Instructors supervision), led dives, worked briefly in the dive shop, etc. I definitely was not used or abused, as the staff was well aware that I was a guest at the resort.

 

[Web Monkey]

***What are the realistic employment opportunities for a Divemaster? I know the theoretical opportunities but I want to know the reality of the situation. How often do Divemasters get hired for liveaboards and what is the usual pay? How often do Divemasters (as opposed to company hiring an instructor) get hired in tourist tropical locations and what is the average pay? At this time I have no long-term goals to become an instructor. I am going traveling next year and thought perhaps I could supplement my traveling by picking up work as a divemaster in various locations. Is that feasible?

***As far as the training itself goes, I heard 2 things. 1) The LDS works you to death during your "internship" and you're basically a glorified slave. 2) "No No that's not true. You just help out with classes a few times." Which one is it and is there any benefit to working like a slave?

***The prices for training seems to vary widely as well. My LDS told me it would cost me about $1200 after I figure in the cost of materials. Yet other places have different prices listed on their websites...In Thailand it costs $900 at one place, $500 in Bonaire. But I spoke with a place in Bonaire and they told me if I did a good job during my internship (that would last 2 months working 5 days/week for no pay) I would not actually have to pay for the course. What should I really expect to pay for it?

First, I can't say much bout the PADI DM program, since I have no experience with it. However I can tell you about SSI DiveCon.

The class and materials cost money. Unfortunately, I don't remember exactly how much, since I'm always dumping money into SCUBA.

As far as work goes, if they're good, and are "growing their own staff", the shop has invested a lot of time and money training you (much more than whatever the class costs), and if they like you, will expect you to work for them. This generally isn't full time employment, but would typically involve helping with classes, teaching SCUBA Skills Update, maybe working on the boat if they have one, taking customers out on local dives, and possibly leading trips.

Even full-time, which is very hard to find in the US, the pay is generally not impressive and if you're looking for money, you'll do better working at pretty much any other job you can learn in a year or two (welding, electrical, plumbing, echocardiography, x-ray tech, etc.), however if you have a regular job and enjoy diving and teaching and like getting discounts on equipment, then i'd say "go for it". It's a great class and taught me a huge amount of rescue skills, people skills, group management, and a bunch of other stuff that's great to have on any dive.

As far as working outside the US on a liveaboard, forget it, unless you're doing it for the experience or have some specialized knowledge or skills (for example, you speak several foreign languages and/or happen to be an excellent cook and engine mechanic). You're competing with the entire rest of the world, and there are a lot of people that will work for a lot less than you would.

Terry

 

[tedtim]

$1200!!!!!!!!

I just looked up the DM course cost at my LDS. They charge $300 plus materials. It has been a few years since I did the course, but the price has not gone up much. Following the progression you should already have the OW and Rescue manual. The DM package, including the encyclopedia of recreational diving did not set me back $900. At that time I needed to get "the Wheel," which I borrowed, otherwise I had all that was required. The only other cost was the application fee directly to PADI, then the insurance. The insurance is not a cost of the course, but a cost if you want to work as a DM.

What is the breakdown to get the $1200 total.

As for pay, I don't get any, but I do get a much better deal on gear and I have not paid for a fill in many years. When I work on the AOW course, the cost for the boat dives is absorbed by the LDS for the DM.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

It a labor of love. Don't do it to get rich. I did mine in Thailand for about $900 or so. They tried to get as much work out of me as possible and drag out the course for as long as they could as well. Once I did get the cert I was paid about $20 a day. Not much, but way more than the Thais I was working next to made. While I immensely enjoyed my time there I don't know looking back if I would do it again. I don't see much point in stopping at DM. Most places I have been to its far easier to get a job as in instructor even if the job is working as a DM. I see DM as a stepping stone to Inst. If I had no plans to go all the way I would probably sign up for master diver course or something similar. But if your just looking to be a dive bum for awhile then why not?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It depends on where you are as others have said. My Dm course was 450 plus materials and I put in alot of hours at the shop, pool, and on dive sites. I got discounts but they did not make up for what I spent. The shop I worked with at the time did alot of students. OW students. So many that at one point I considered quitting altogether it got so boring and tedious. You must have time for yourself and to dive for fun. I actually did stop assisting and went and took some tech classes and just dove for fun.

I met a NAUI/YMCA instructor in a relatively new shop where I did my tech training. He asked if I 'd consider crossing over to YMCA and I did. This reenergized me. The difference in philosophy and the amount of actual teaching I was allowed to do as a DM then AI opened up a whole new world. I was no longer a babysitter but actually was allowed and encouraged to teach students under supervision of course but still. I became an instructor this year in May and am enjoying the crap out of it. WHen you start checking around at least in the areas I've dove DM's are not in high demand as paying positions. In the keys most DM's on a boat are instructors. The same in Bonaire when I was there. The DM on the boat in Monterey was also an instructor as well.

This is where they make their money. Teaching courses along with tips for DM duties. Go for DM by all means, but bear in mind that in most cases if you want to make any money at this you'll have to go on.

ANd as to your initial questions about training- the answer is yes to both. Some shops will expect you to be a slave others not so much. I did find that the ones who expect more out of you afford the opportunity to work with more people and get more skills as you deal with different people. The ones who go by the minimums and use few students or even certed divers as "students" don't seem to give you the opportunity to develop skills as much.

Personally I'm toying with the idea of not charging anything for DM as long as you agree to work with me for 6 months during training and 1 year after. The novel part of this is you'd get paid the whole time. Not alot. But at least enough to cover expenses like insurance, gas, and food on trips and checkouts. You would not pay for air and since I'm not a shop gear discounts from me personally would be close to nil, but I have contacts with shops and some manufacturers that would keep you from going broke keeping your gear up to date.

The shops I'm affiliated with now give me very good deals on equipment and pass along info on keyman specials. I have enough stuff that I've not found it necessary to take advantage of these yet but it's nice that they are not kept secret. Some shops will do that. DM's will not get keyman, only instructors and some of those don't get it if their numbers are low. And that's stupid because the manufacturer is passing on the deals. Only shop owner greed keeps their pros from getting these deals. Check out the LDS's in your area. Talk to their DMs. Don't jump into anything you'll regret later.

 

[nereas]

...
Personally I'm toying with the idea of not charging anything for DM as long as you agree to work with me for 6 months during training and 1 year after. ...

This is the ideal, yes! Good idea! I congratulate you.

This is also the system that I was using, back in the days when I had time to be a scuba instructor and to train D/Ms.

 

[tahoeguy]

I just finished my DM in May 08. The class only cost $385 with about another $300 in materials. It was a lot of work and internship seemed to drag on forever, but in reality, it only took 2 months. In the Tahoe area the only way we can earn $ is to do "discover local diving" or scuba review. Helping out with the classes is expected and that can be kind of a drag because of the personal expense and time commitment. And some of the instructors can treat you like s--t. The only good reason to become a DM is for the dedication and love of the sport.

good luck,

TG