As an Instructor, I have taught Dry, Night, Nav, Wreck, and Oxygen Provider/DAN Adv O2. All PADI except the DAN course. I will be teaching a Deep class probably in January. I have certified one MSD so far. I do not certify MSDs unless I have a certain level of familiarity and have "interveiwed" them. I encourage Nav, Night, Enriched Air (have not taught, but will soon) and Deep or Wreck at the absolute minimum for MSD. The other 1-2 courses are up to the student. I want my sign-off to count for something with the student that goes MSD. I am a relateively new instructor (18 months), but have seen a wide gamut of level and interest.
If the interest is there, the level can get there. I have found newer divers like the Night and Deep a lot. It gives them comfort to have someone with more experience nearby, but I find more experienced divers typically do not want/care to have the Night or Deep specialty. Enriched Air seems universally desired. I think Nav is probably one of the better certs. I agree with other posters that Boat and Naturalist are not as desired. Naturalist may be if you are in a high tourist area. Digi Photo is a great one to have. I have not actually taught one, but have co-taught. I am still learning the cameras and do not feel I should teach something I am not very skilled at. I can however co-teach with a freind that is a stud at Photoshop and cameras.
So recap... specialities I would look at are Night, Nav, Deep, Enriched Air, if you are in a "cooler" climate, Dry. Throw in Wreck if you can, and Digi-Photo if you TRULY think you can add value to teach it.
Hope that helps.. Congrats on the impending DM / IDC and big props to you for looking into all this so thoroughly before pulling the trigger. Taking the specialties will really help as you progress through DM/IDC. It will help also when you teach, beacuse instead of doing some things for the first time, you will have seen someone else teach it and you can learn good from bad from them.
If the interest is there, the level can get there. I have found newer divers like the Night and Deep a lot. It gives them comfort to have someone with more experience nearby, but I find more experienced divers typically do not want/care to have the Night or Deep specialty. Enriched Air seems universally desired. I think Nav is probably one of the better certs. I agree with other posters that Boat and Naturalist are not as desired. Naturalist may be if you are in a high tourist area. Digi Photo is a great one to have. I have not actually taught one, but have co-taught. I am still learning the cameras and do not feel I should teach something I am not very skilled at. I can however co-teach with a freind that is a stud at Photoshop and cameras.
So recap... specialities I would look at are Night, Nav, Deep, Enriched Air, if you are in a "cooler" climate, Dry. Throw in Wreck if you can, and Digi-Photo if you TRULY think you can add value to teach it.
Hope that helps.. Congrats on the impending DM / IDC and big props to you for looking into all this so thoroughly before pulling the trigger. Taking the specialties will really help as you progress through DM/IDC. It will help also when you teach, beacuse instead of doing some things for the first time, you will have seen someone else teach it and you can learn good from bad from them.
