How often do Dive Instructors teach/lead dives independently of a shop?

[stuartv]

Did I read somewhere on the forum that SSI Instructors must be affiliated with a dive shop while PADI Instructors do not necessarily have to be affiliated with a shop? Or did I just dream that?

I believe that is correct. I think SDI and TDI instructors also have to be affiliated with a shop.

That said, I have also heard that, at least for SSI, if an instructor doesn't have a local shop to affiliate with, or if no local shop will accept the affiliation, the instructor CAN be affiliated with "HQ".

 

[Tdiverk]

No can do for me. Just can teach through my shop. Don't have time anyways to do it on my own.

 

[boulderjohn]

Did I read somewhere on the forum that SSI Instructors must be affiliated with a dive shop while PADI Instructors do not necessarily have to be affiliated with a shop? Or did I just dream that?

That is correct. it was all explained when I took a marketing seminar from SSI. Today's SSI is actually descended from NASDS--the man who runs it was the owner of NASDS, then the two agencies merged, then he bought out the SSI people. NASDS began life as a retail trade organization (National Association of Skin Diving Stores). It realized the best way to sell gear was through instruction, so it changed the word "stores" in its name to "schools." Under their philosophy, the purpose of instruction is to facilitate the sale of scuba gear, so an independent instructor goes against that purpose. Today SSI is actually owned by a scuba gear manufacturer (Mares).

 

[boulderjohn]

When it comes to the ability to work independently v. working for a shop, a lot depends upon where you live. For much of the United States, it is extremely hard to work as an independent, as some have noted in this thread already. In other places, though, it is not as bad. In South Florida, for example, the area is flooded with dive operations. Some are just dive shops. Some are just boat charters. Some do both. They are all competing for customers, and those customers include independent instructors and their students. An independent instructor will be able to rent gear at a discount for students and get discounted dives from dive boats. This eliminates the need to own and maintain all of that yourself. In most of the rest of the country, those dive operations are not offering any benefits to independent instructors, whom they perceive to be nothing but competitors.