Want to go pro

[saltynay]

I am new here and here to rape your collective knowledge. I am 19 and a rescue diver atm but want to go upto OWSI and if possible MSDT within this year and then use my diving to spend my 20's travelling the world and hopefully transfer my passion for the hobby into others.

I am really struggling to find an internship program which is suitable for my situation. I am still a student so don't have much money in the bank so I am trying to find and a centre which will provide me with accomodation and training for a very budget cost. I don't mind working off my dues and staying with the dive centre longer then my training as a "gratis" instructor paid with just a intern accomodation if its more economically viable for the centre. All the courses I have found so far seem so expensive Ž£5000+ for 2-3 months I just can't stretch that far.

Anyone got any ideas which will help me out?

I am also a competent sailor although I have no formal certification. I am an English national and a Singaporean resident (speak a little Malay, Chinese and Indonesian) so any oppurtunities in the Asian world would be good as family will be nearby incase I dissapear .

 

[robint]

I have a couple of suggestions for you...
1. Nekton Cruises > Home Many of the DMs on their boat are working towards their instructor certs and the company will help you with that. YOu will live on the boat, do regular DM duties ranging from filling tanks, to diving with guests, to cleaning rooms, whatever is needed. Not a glamorous way to do it but you will be earning a paycheck as you work. Contact them for details.
2. CocoView Resort, Roatan, Honduras Roatan Divemaster Internship at Dockside Dive Center, Western Caribbean They have a DM program with living qtrs and instructor certs. You would be working and diving often.
3. I have also heard that on Utila, Honduras, there are instructor programs that are cheap. Don't know any details though.

robin

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

this type of question comes up at least once a week, the search function is your friend.

 

[cappyjon431]

At the current time, Nekton is unable to hire non-US citizens.

 

[ScubaRafiki]

You should check out Subway Watersports on Roatan - they have a DM intern program and are a 5 star IDC centre with IDC's pretty much every month. Accommodation is included in the cost. As a rescue diver your DM internship would take a month to complete and the IDC can be completed after this (note that if you do your DM with them the IDC has a 10% discount on it). Check out their website - Roatan scuba diving snorkeling dive courses Bay Islands Honduras for more information. I did my DM with them a few years ago and it was the best desicion I made for a long time!

 

[robint]

At the current time, Nekton is unable to hire non-US citizens.

thanks, didn't know that.

 

[saltynay]

Thanks for all the help guys and I have been using the search function, I am a forums veteran just not on this one . It always help to have specific knowledge to my situation.

I am atm negotiating with Mermaiddive.com (pataya thailand) on doing a full package from Rescue to MSDT was wondering what people think of this dive centre? All their intern statements seem great but I am only directed to them via their site so not sure I can trust there validity completely. They are way out of budget but I can always sell all my worldly possessions and scrape the money together, perhaps borrow a little at low interest from the bank of mum and dad.

 

[El Orans]

I am atm negotiating with Mermaiddive.com (pataya thailand) on doing a full package from Rescue to MSDT was wondering what people think of this dive centre?

Have a look at the Thailand forum.

This question pops up there regularly.

 

[Scared Silly]

My suggestion is to get your DM and go suffer through that for a year or so. This will get you some experience. Then if that is the life you want go back and your instructor rating. As for places, search is your friend.

 

[saltynay]

I realise mermaid is in the search but much of it is old information and during that time mermaids has had its original CD die so I imagine there has been a large amount of change. They have offered me (If I pay complete costs upfront):
OWSI + MSDT + IAHD+ Staff instructor + EFR CFC + Full face mask course + 6 months Accomodation + Unlimited diving + Free set of equiptment + Padi fees = 377,292 THB, 7189 GBP or 10,587.10 USD

I am also in contact with several other dive schools but feel that this is the best offer mermaids will do whilst the others I think I can wring a few more perks out of. What do you think?