Why don't more DM's become Instructors?

[Oldbear]

Very interesting...very interesting.

I am currently taking the BSAC Dive Leader's corse thru a local BSAC dive club in Kuwait. I am learnng so much...most of it I was exposed to before in the PADI OW, AOW and Rescue Diver courses, but instead of just gathering a Cert, I now see and understand the need for the education. While the BSAC Diver Leader's cert should cross over to Dive Master with PADI, I decided to take the PADI DM course as well. I have researched different programs and with the input from SB decided upon a program that I think fits my education goals (not a zero to hero factory). I also have researched a program for my IDC...but that is a ways off on the horizon.

My formal college eduction is in Wildlife Biology which I worked for a few years until I decided I needed to raise my child instead of chasing Bambi and putting radio collars on him. I returned to the construction industry where I was able to provide a nice living for my daughter. Now I am in Project Manaement and do not think I will leave just to be a deck hand or shop DM full-time. But I do think I want to teach young people about diving and marine conservation. My daughter in now in the Emergency Service field and did her DM & Internship while in she was in college. After I complete my DM we plan to take the IDC togeather. We both do not have any expectations of becoming financially independant by instructing...but it is the joy of instructing that we seek. We do other types of sports instructions & coaching and diving instruction just seem natural to us. Plus anytime I get to do anything togeather with my daughter I am a happy camper (or happy diver in this case). :dance3:

~ME~

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Really interesting reading all the post. The LDS I DM for is apparently way out of the norm. Our DMs get paid per student, not much granted but it is something, we get free air and equipment discounts. The DMs also get first shot at DSDs and scuba reviews which pay a little better. No one is going to get rich but I do better than break even. We appear to have a much higher status than most other DMs, while we do carry a lot of tanks and wetsuits, our instructors are right there beside us and we are considered part of the training staff. Once the instructor has done the initial training, I get the students who need more assistance, demo a good many skills and take an active role with the students. To put it in some perspective, we are one of the larger PADI shops in the southeast based on training, we do 400-500 certs on an average year. Our staff has around 20 instructors (10-15 active) and about the same number of DMs. Classes with 4 or more students has a paid DM assigned to the class. I personally DMed for 35-40 OW students and another 10-15 students in other classes (aow/nav/rescue). I prefer OW students so I tend to choose OW classes, we get a choice of which classes we DM for.
I enjoy the role of DM, at least where I DM. Not too sure I would take to well to being an unpaid tank slave but as a part of the training staff and making a little cash to boot, I can‘t wait for dive season to return. For me, the statement of another of our DMs sums it up, I get to have all the fun with none of the paper work.

Yes, your shop is WAY out of the norm unfortunately. IMO, what you describe is how shops should run their training departments. Unfortunately, I've seen very, very few with this kind of foresight, organization, and professionalism.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I worked as a DM for a year or two before giving it up. I missed diving too much. I worked at a dive shop and would DM our boat charters each month, plus help our instructors. My only DM pay was "free" boat rides. I never made any money and spent most trips on the boat the entire day. Occasionally I would get in one dive if we had time and another DM. I don't regret quitting. I enjoy diving now even more than I did twenty years ago.

 

[nimoh]

Yes, your shop is WAY out of the norm unfortunately. IMO, what you describe is how shops should run their training departments. Unfortunately, I've seen very, very few with this kind of foresight, organization, and professionalism.

My shop is very similar to this, although free air is only while teaching (not for personal dives), pay is per day regardless of number of students, and we get 10% discount in store.

 

[nimoh]

I worked as a DM for a year or two before giving it up. I missed diving too much. I worked at a dive shop and would DM our boat charters each month, plus help our instructors. My only DM pay was "free" boat rides. I never made any money and spent most trips on the boat the entire day. Occasionally I would get in one dive if we had time and another DM. I don't regret quitting. I enjoy diving now even more than I did twenty years ago.

Working as a DM on a dive boat is usually for tips, like most divers I know, I always tip a DM on a dive boat, and tip a little better if they go the extra mile (like on a recent dive where the DM brought me a bottle of water when I was feeding the fishes over the starboard side). Did you not receive any tips?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

My shop is very similar to this, although free air is only while teaching (not for personal dives), pay is per day regardless of number of students, and we get 10% discount in store.

10%?! Anyone should be able to get 10% walking off the street just by negotiating a bit. You can beat 10% just by shopping around.

 

[NCadiver]

I enjoyed Dive Mastering but it cut way too much into my dive time. And my friends lost most of there dive time to classes. In Nov/Dec I would get them altogether just to go diving you had to be Dive Master and above to go on this dive. I would joke with them about this is diving not a class so don't go to the bottom and pull out your slate and demonstrating scuba skills for students.

All the DM got free air and discount varied on how active you were with the shop.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Working as a DM on a dive boat is usually for tips, like most divers I know, I always tip a DM on a dive boat, and tip a little better if they go the extra mile (like on a recent dive where the DM brought me a bottle of water when I was feeding the fishes over the starboard side). Did you not receive any tips?

In California most DMs are employees of the shop that charters the boat. While there is a tip jar on each boat, it is split between the boat crew. I was a good DM, even made a few rescues, but never received any money.

 

[Davemohio]

It is a great question.

Hmm. I like being a DM. Especially on the open water dives with students. Even if it is in Ohio quarries. Tips happen but they are rare.

Not into the pool work so much.

No interest in becoming an Instructor. More responsibility. More costs.

I get to learn from and dive with some great Instructors. Always learn something.

At this stage of my life I prefer diving rather than teaching others to dive.

 

[leabre]

I became a DM to get started on polishing my leadership skills, assisting classes, working with students, and eventually decide whether I want to be an instructor. The agency I took DM training with (UTD) does not impart any new skills, only leadership and responsibility during DM training but the skills must be impeccable demonstration quality before they'll accept you as a DM candidate. Even then, it took me 6 months to complete.

For now I'm just assisting classes, working with people to get polish their skills, and so on. it certainly forces me to keep current because everytime I work with someone I end up reviewing all procedures and so on and get to practice them -- even when you have no need to practice because you perform outstanding, you still need practice. Maybe I'll become an instructor in the future but I'm in no hurry to get there but I'm eyeing it.