SDI vs. PADI DM

[decompression]

If you want to be a better diver, do GUE fundies or UTD essentials, get the basics down then all follow on courses will be easier and you’ll get far more out of them. When you finally do go pro you will actually have skills a DM should have and not just a DM course.

 

[TMHeimer]

If you want to be a better diver, do GUE fundies or UTD essentials, get the basics down then all follow on courses will be easier and you’ll get far more out of them. When you finally do go pro you will actually have skills a DM should have and not just a DM course.

Excellent idea. You'd still have to get your "24 skills" up to demonstration quality and complete a number of other required "components" (one of them being mapping a site) of the PADI DM course.
As we don't have access to GUE, UTD or anything else here but PADI, I am no expert. But from what I read, these courses would make you a better DM.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

If you want to be a better diver, do GUE fundies or UTD essentials, get the basics down then all follow on courses will be easier and you’ll get far more out of them. When you finally do go pro you will actually have skills a DM should have and not just a DM course.

I'll second this. Taking UTD Essentials or GUE fundies should be mandatory prior to becoming a dive pro, as the minimum standards for becoming a DM and instructor are just so incredibly low. Both of these courses are likely to be dramatically different than anything you've taken. Now there are some TDI instructors who teach a similar course with Intro to Tech, like Ryan @custureri , but it takes a bit of work, luck, or travel to find them.

I'd recommend becoming a niche instructor (i.e., high quality), so you are not just another minimum standards instructor who offers nothing unique. There are plenty of zero to hero instructors on their gap year that flood the market and keep the wages low (I don't blame them. If I was 18 or so, doing a hero to zero program and "teaching" for a year and partying my derriere off sounds great). You really want to set yourself apart if you want any sort of income from this. It is really hard to do, but you have to be smart and market yourself properly. Ryan is a great example of this (he's probably taught me more to run a business/be an improved instructor than anyone else).