Scuba College???

[DCBC]

Making a good salary in the diving business isn't impossible, but it usually means that you're self employed in diving tourism, own a profitable LDS, or are a working commercial diver. Simply put, DMs and instructors are a vehicle to make a store/resort owner money. It seldom filters down to the worker. On the otherhand the worker gets to do what they like at the expense of doing it.

So chances are, if you want to make the money in recreational diving, you have to be entrepreneurial. That probably means that you wont be the one that's always taking divers out on a dive, or necessarily are the one even selling the equipment. You find yourself in a supervisory capacity, working with financial statements, or advertising your business. There's always something that needs your attention. Likely its not what you thought you would be doing when you set your course.

As far as commercial diving is concerned, you make excellent money if you're employed, but there are too many schools punching out divers with no experience that aren't able to compete in the industry. I believe that recreational schools do the same thing (too many new instructors with a dream and without the experience). I'm not trying to discourage you, but blowing hot air up your shorts isn't doing you, or your family any good.

 

[OldNSalty]

Dive college?? Is this serious? "Normal" college is practically useless, but dive college really takes the cake. I could see a situation where they were actually showing you how to do tangible things that are necessary (and therefore performed in exchange for payment). A place that teaches people the necessary skills to do commercial diving makes sense.

Practically useless? True. It depends on what you went to college for. Some degrees are in high demand, others are just there to bilk naïve young college students into taking out huge loans so they can major in ‘careers’ that have near zero hiring potential.

The usefulness depends on what you are trying to get out of it. If you are trying to get a job then major in something that is in demand. It really is that simple. I do not think ‘Diving Instructor’ is something that is in high demand.

 

[marinediva]

Dive college?? Is this serious? "Normal" college is practically useless, but dive college really takes the cake. I could see a situation where they were actually showing you how to do tangible things that are necessary (and therefore performed in exchange for payment). A place that teaches people the necessary skills to do commercial diving makes sense.

Actually, there is a college in Australia that teaches to Instructor level as well as
teaches eco tourism subjects as well. It is a diploma course with Instructor level training as well. This course trains people to be able to attend to many water sports as well as attend to other duties in a small eco resort.

 

[ben_wilson3301]

You shouldn't think of becoming an instructor to make money. Usually people become instructors to save money while enjoying their passion and giving back to the industry that has given them so much. Its about saving money on a sport you intend to be in anyway, not making any real money. According to the instructors I have talked to they tell me that if they figure up the money they make verses the hours they put in most make less than minumum wage. One told me that he tries to give people breaks on rates to give him the opportunity to dive and he ends up making around $1.50 per hour US.

If I wanted to make that much money doing diving Id join the Navy. There you might make that kind of money and be assured a job but you wont be assured a job diving.

 

[DennisS]

Before you put down your hard earned cash for "diver college", check out the job market. I'm pretty sure you will be unpleasantly surprised when you find out what a lot of these instructors are getting paid. Check out the benefits, like health insurance.

 

[Thalassamania]

Practically useless? True. It depends on what you went to college for. Some degrees are in high demand, others are just there to bilk naïve young college students into taking out huge loans so they can major in ‘careers’ that have near zero hiring potential.

The usefulness depends on what you are trying to get out of it. If you are trying to get a job then major in something that is in demand. It really is that simple. I do not think ‘Diving Instructor’ is something that is in high demand.

College should not (though often is) be confused with trade schools.

As far as instructor demand is concerned, there seems to be ample demand, but the supply of new cannon fodder (most last about two years) way outstrips the demand.

Actually, there is a college in Australia that teaches to Instructor level as well as
teaches eco tourism subjects as well. It is a diploma course with Instructor level training as well. This course trains people to be able to attend to many water sports as well as attend to other duties in a small eco resort.

There are several in the US. Fairleigh Dickinson and FSU had BA programs that included scuba instructor and the Florida Keys Community College has an AA program with scuba instructor training.

 

[OldNSalty]

College should not (though often is) be confused with trade schools.

In theory, I agree with that statement.

 

[dvr4lyf]

Just wanted to say a quick Thank you to all who responded!!

 

[DevonDiver]

There is only one way to work as a scuba instructor for a year...and have $60k in the bank....

....... start the year with $120k in the bank!!

 

[pasley]

Friend of mine started work at a resort this week as a SCUBA Instructor. He is bual certified as a PADI Instructor and a Handicapped SCUBA Association (HSA) adaptive instructor. The adaptive dive instructor rating got him hired over others as he can teach the blind, quadraplegic, paraplegic, amputee and others to SCUBA dive. In the US Virgin Islands he is making $400 a week and has to pay his own room and board. $60K a year? No.

Do the math. SCUBA instruciton -Basic Open Water $175 for minimum of 40 hours work (1 evening for the intro, 1 weekend of instruction & 1 weekend ocean) per student (note many instuctors, including me offer longer classroom and pool training before the ocean). Limit 8 students at a time unless you have a DM then you can go to 10 but you have to pay the DM. Figure the dive shop takes at least 1/2 of that off the top. so that is $87.50 per student. Many classes are not full so say you have 4 students at a time that is $87.50x4/40hrs=$8.75 per hour. at that rate you would need to work 161 hours a week to make $60K a year and that is 1. not possible and 2 not likely as you will not have that many students.

I run a non-profit teaching disabled veterans to SCUBA dive (Disabled Veterans SCUBA Project > Home) . But when you say non-profit and scuba you are repeating yourself.

Next item. Ask a scuba instuctor when they last did a fun dive? Most spend most of their time teaching.