Is Halls Diving Academy the way to go?

[Mikums]

I received no instruction when I went there last year. Neither did any of my classmates.

 

[Thalassamania]

I've heard that from other folks to. I suspect that it has something to do with who is on the staff at a given moment.

 

[Mikums]

Well, they where going through staff changes when I went. I still feel shafted.

 

[Thalassamania]

You were shafted. I'd write back to Bob Brayman and complain, can't hurt.

 

[subpilot]

Halls is very unprofessional. I understand that teaching people to dive is serious. I further understand that it is or can be dangerous. But for a company to boast to be the best, I think they should be. These people are not. The instructors don't give you the time and assistance they say they will. Then you get three different explanations on how to do a project, from three different instructors. And if you don't get that same instructor grading what he told you to do, you can surely count on a low grade. They will teach you, there's no question. But they do need to fix many inconsistancies. JUST STAY AWAY FROM THE 19 DAY COURSE!!!!!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

So subpilot, your statistics show 25 posts, but looking at your "posts" this one is the only one.

Does that mean every one of your previous posts since you joined have been deleted?

 

[on_two_wheels]

The Air Force offers a set amount of money for a trade school certification type education. Dive instruction (DM and above) is covered by this. I was considering using it for Hall's or something similar and just do instruction/DM for beer money in retirement.

So other than Hall's, does anyone know of other schools that are VA approved that does a start to finish program for dive instructors?

 

[Superlyte27]

DM's make tips if they are lucky and get air fills. DM's on boats are usually instructors. A regular Dm in a resort is not worth much since they cannot teach many courses if any. Instructors can make a living if they are willing to work their butts off day in and day out. Of course it depends on what you call a living. It would be rare for a new instructor right out of a school to get enough to really live on. There is just not enough time for the experience that many resorts would expect. And it depends on where you want to go. I have no illusions about making a living as an instructor at this point. It is simply extra cash to pay for my fun dives and a tax write off. Of course I'm not in a diving mecca. But if I was I;d be sure I had another source of income to rely on and use the diving as extra cash. Be prepared as a new instructor in a resort to be low man on the totem pole and get the jobs no one else wants.

I have seen very good instructors get to the boat at 6 am, fill tanks, load them, check the stores, check in divers, ride out with the first trip, give a briefing, lead a few divers, come back in, unload, fill more tanks, grab a sandwich, reload for the afternoon, take that trip out, come back, unload, wash down the boat, rinse and put away gear, and get done around 7 or 8 Pm for tips and min wage. And if the shop has a number of instructors they may only get 2 or 3 days a week. They may get some classes but they will usually go to the senior instructors. Also not really that familiar with Hall's though I did consider it 3 years ago. At that time it did not seem like too bad a deal until I also started to read about and see what are known as the zero to hero programs. Kinda woke me up real fast. If you have no kids, no wife, no real obligations go for it. the worst that can happen is you have to get a "real job" and teach on the side.

This is the truth in a nutshell. I worked for a company in the Keys. Some of you know which one. They had 13 instructors, 5 captains, a dive master, deckhands, and everything else you could throw at it. By the end of the day, the guys really really busting their butts were making about 70 bucks a day. If tips were good that day, maybe 100.00.

This was at peak season this year. Spend 20k to make 20k a year? Bad math.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I had a very bad expereince with Halls and will never, ever go back there. Stay away, they were unprofessional, dishonest. Go somewhere else

 

[on_two_wheels]

I had a very bad expereince with Halls and will never, ever go back there. Stay away, they were unprofessional, dishonest. Go somewhere else

I think we got that the first time. Prefer you go into more detail. Either way, no need to post the same thing more than once. If someone doesn't read the first time, then let them learn the hard way.