Koh Tao Instructor Jobs

[Lord Lucan]

I'm currently a DM but want to do my IDC in order to live and work in koh tao. I've heard that finding work in Thailand is not that easy (especially as I only speak English) so I will proabaly train upto MSDT level and do an internship to get experience and make contacts. If I do this how hard do you think it will be for me to get a job bearing in mind I would be sticking around for a while rather than just looking for a bit of money to fund travels before moving on? Also what would be the best time of year to head to koh tao to make it easiest to find a job?
Thanks

 

[stevenl]

Ask this question to a few IDC Centers on Koh Tao, they should be able to help you out.

 

[Mako Mark]

I lived on Koh Tao for five years, admittedly I arrived around when they got electricity and left when they got internet and bread.

I would say, if you want to work in a place spend your money there. I would always employ an instructor or divemaster that I trained rather than some guy that turned up already quallified. OTOH, if you are already quallified, go there, hang out in the bars, cafes and dive shops and guaranteed, within a few days, someone will say "dude, can you fill in, X is sick"

the legal and work permit side of thailand you will need better and more up to dat info on as I just used to do visa runs or send some kid to penang every three months, but that was a couple of years ago.

Apart from that, go there. if you are not there, you cant work there.

 

[Lord Lucan]

Cancun Mark - Thanks for the advice. I'm only DM at the moment and will definately be doing my IDC etc on the island.

Stevenl - The reason I'm asking here rather than IDC centers is because here I'll get the most impartial advice. I will speak to IDC centres, of course, but they may just say what I need to hear to make me part with my money. Maybe I'm too cynical

Any other advice would be much appreciated. Anyone know the best time of year to find work on koh tao?

 

[Ringo]

Lord Lucan - would love to offer you some good advice but unfortunately things work totally differently on Koh Tao as opposed to what Stevenl and I are used to on Phuket. If you want to live and work on Koh Tao the best thing really is to make some good contacts there. Anybody there on SB to help Lord Lucan?

 

[stevenl]

The reason why I said: check with the Centers on Koh Tao is, that I think they will offer you emplyment after the IDC.

 

[smartecosse]

on tao you do not need a work permit to do the actual jobs, the shops tend to have one official "farang" with a work permit and the freelancers are told to "disappear" if and when anyone evr bothers to check. worked there for 5 months last year and not once did anyone come round. not having a wp is the norm rather than the rule.

most of the inst's & dm's are on 30 day visa's as well as they seem to be too lazy/inept to get them selves a non b.

if you like party party party then head to koh tao, otherwise it actually gets very boring very quickly. the diving is mediacore at best with only sail rock & chumpon being of any real value as a dive site and even then they are hardly world class.

if however you want to get a load of certs very quickly then thats the p[lace to go. head to a "factory" like bas's etc and ur certs will bethru the roof in no time. might not end up as a "quality" inst but then thats down to the individual and the course director they choose to go with

as far as timing goes, if you really want a job make sure you plan it so that you have finshed your interniship etc while it is still the low season. if you finish in the high season tao is flooded with f/l's and even having done the training with them speaking only one language u will find it hard, unless u luck into a jop at a smaller dive shop.

get there early, work hard during the intership and u should be ready to sort yourself a job for the high season.

party on..................

 

[Planet Jim]

Hello Lord Lucan

I am the Training and Education Manager for Planet Scuba Koh Tao.I train the Instructors also.If you like you can PM me and will reply to your questions at length.

In short most Instructors do get work when they finnish with the MSDT as there is so much training going on around Koh Tao.Permits are indeed rare but they are out there,most don't bother.Best time is to be ready to go when the monsoon ends and many Instructors are elsewhere.

I will be more than happy to furnish you with additional details if you descide to PM me.

Have a great day

Jim Hutchinson

 

[Lord Lucan]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

As far as work permits/ visas are concerned I was planning on getting a Non Im. B visa sorted (Possibly asking the shop I book my training with to send me a letter offering employment) before I go. Visa run every 3 months and I'd just keep my fingers crossed I don't get caught without a permit.

I did my DM in Phuket and I know the diving is much better over there and it is possible to have more of a life outside diving. I want to start off in koh tao for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I am 26 and have done a lot of back packing and so think I would get on much better and have more fun with my pupils in koh tao than the older holiday makers somewhere like Phuket and I think this would help a lot when I am starting out and still a little unsure of myself as an instructor. Also I've heard it's easier to find work in koh tao and it is less seasonal. While I couldn't live somewhere as small as Koh Tao for ever I really like the laid back feel and natural beauty of the place and the bars and restaruants are more to my taste than most of those in Phuket.

Planet Jim - Thanks, I shall PM you.

 

[Diver_City Boys]

if you like party party party then head to koh tao, otherwise it actually gets very boring very quickly. the diving is mediacore at best with only sail rock & chumpon being of any real value as a dive site and even then they are hardly world class.

Party? what kind, I thought Koh Tao is very boring place. How about japanese Garden
better than sail rock?

if however you want to get a load of certs very quickly then thats the p[lace to go. head to a "factory" like bas's etc and ur certs will bethru the roof in no time. might not end up as a "quality" inst but then thats down to the individual and the course director they choose to go with

DCs should watch out for this