dive master internships

NoQuarter

hi all,

Was thinking about taking one of the internships to teach ya from beginner right up to divemaster during next summer, the courses usually take from 8 - 12 weeks somewhere far afield!

something like this : http://www.adventuretravelabroad.com/listingsp3.cfm/listing/15956 (although i wont be payin that much!!)


does anyone have any opinions on this and would it be a good idea?? how would the diving community view a divemaster that got their qualificatios in around 3 months?

thanks,
Stew

Paddy Diver

king-stew wrote: »

does anyone have any opinions on this and would it be a good idea?? how would the diving community view a divemaster that got their qualificatios in around 3 months?

Stew,

First of all, diving is thee most opinion-ated sport there is so no one's word is gospel. But yes in 'my' opinion becoming a divemaster form no diving background is a bit much in 3 months. It takes time to build-up/master good diving skills and to be able to build a level head in certain suitations.

Secondly, Im not knocking the PADI system now or anything but if you take your training slower and get experience form different organisations while contuining your training it will let you see different methods, different procedures and generally expand your thinking as aspose to the 'this and only this way'.

I personnaly wouldn't recommand becoming a DiveMaster or Instructor as a job because it interferes with your own personal diving, for example this year when the weather allowed us to dive I was doing between 8-12 dives a week (i might get weekends off) training people so when it came to club/personnaly diving or the 'fun stuff' I just wasnt in the mood because I'd been in the water all week and as a result I missed most of the good stuff.

Anyway this is just me, but read around the net and get other opinions.

Let us what you decide.

Ian

rahtkennades

I'd agree with Paddy Diver in a lot of respects. Doing all the courses up to DM in 3 months would be fine, it's all personal learning and gaining experience (and imo the Rescue course is well worth the effort), but I'd say that DM in 3 months in the same place in the same conditions would give you a very limited range of experience.

I don't mean that to sound denegrating at all though. What I mean is that if you take some time to do the courses, even in different places, do some diving in different countries with different conditions and risk factors, dive with different people with different levels of experience who are trained by different methods, it all adds up to great knowledge that just can't be gained from an intensive course.

That said, I did my Rescue and DM in Thailand in a month of intensive diving, but I'd already been diving in different places for about 10 years at that stage.

The other thing to bear in mind is that despite the very high price tag ($6500 is a lot of money for that!) different centres have different expectations of an 'internship'. You could end up working your a$$ off and paying good money for the privelage!!

Maybe it might be worth even looking at the idea of splitting it up between different locations. Eg if you are thinking of doing this as part of a RTW trip, maybe do the OW and Advanced in Aus (even in different parts to get different sea conditions), then go to one part of Thailand for the Rescue, then elsewhere for the DM. It'd broaden your range of in-water experiences without taking years of diving.

Definitely though if you think it's for you, go for it and enjoy!!!

seadeuce

Nothing like some relevant info!:


http://www.ukdivers.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1663


and


http://www.scubadivinginternships.com/diver_testimonials_3.htm


Always make an informed choice.

But get some experience first! IOW do your OW/Aow here in Ireland. It will give you both a foundation and confidence to tackle the task in an easier environment.

Enjoy,

Seadeuce

NoQuarter

Thanks for that boys and girls!

certainly a lot to think about this term! I know what you mean about splitting it up but i dont think i would have the money to do that!

ive always wanted to dive and never got the chance so im thinking next summer could be it.

At the moment i wouldnt be using the divemaster qual as anything more than that but i would be hoping to perhaps do something with it in the distant future so thats why im thinking it would be convienient to get it all done now!

Anyways thanks for all the replies, any more welcomed, and i have a lot to think about now!!

tommsyie

Hi
King-stew

Just a follow up - why do it all abroad.

If you want to become a divemaster - the best way is as others have said under different conditions.

There are some very good dive centres abroad - but equally here in Ireland. Yes it may be more appealing to do it abroad - sunshine etc.. But the big difference here in Ireland - is the hazards

If you look at the divemaster course syllabus - a lot is to do with group control - safety etc....

Now lets look at two different locations - the red sea - great visibility - Ireland, potentially bad - You straight away become more aware of your responsibilities as a DM. On courses it is up to you to look after the students whilst the Instructor is working with someone. This is a lot harder here - and I think this part alone is a invaluable one.

I completed my Divemaster over a year ago and am now a working OWSI and Ive talked to other instructors overseas who say they wont even dive in Ireland no mind teach because of the conditions (Cold and Viz)!!

So getting experience in theese conditions is brilliant.

I would also split the courses up - give them time to seep in, also get some of your own diving in between (after all thats what you want)

If you do it all in one go - Ive seen some places just barely do it - you would be a DM with only just the required amount of exams - and to minimum depths. the more experience you have is better

Hope this helps

Tom

www.mydivelocker.ie

testicle

Cost is also a factor in Ireland, as the courses are far more expensive here, as they are in, for example, Thailand, or Sharm.

whosedaddy?

Hmm, I guess my starting question would be "why do you need a dive master qualification? on your road to OWSI? Cause you want to teach your son? Cause you want to say your a "DM", etc...

The key to be a good diver is practice, practice, practice in as many different environments as possible. (or as many as you can afford).

And learning anything fast tracked will be a shortcut. Put the elbow grease in and take your time to gain experience between different courses... it will be worth it in the long run.

NoQuarter

Well the reasoning behind it would be that one day i would like to earn a living doing something interesting and also i would like to live abroad in the future!

For the moment im stuck in college so have my summers free so im lookng at ways to spend them rather than just work over here.

I know it will be a shortcut but the way i was looking at it is that if i get the qualification now, i wouldnt be using it until years down the road by which time i will have more dives/experience under my belt etc...

Cost is a massive issue, if i got the qualification now i could dive as normal as if i had any lesser qualification for the next few years but not have the issue of paying for the next course an the qualification would already be there so all thats left would be to practice.

Thanks for all the replies, i understand 100% where your coming from and will take all replies onboard!

mac123

I was just in Thailand where i did my AOW and i checked the price for the DM. It was 25000baht which is around €500 and can be done over 1 or 2 months but they recommend 2 months. They also give 10% discounts to past students.

Fratton Fred

that looks like a lot of money to learn a sport you may find out you hate.

whosedaddy?

king-stew wrote: »

Well the reasoning behind it would be that one day i would like to earn a living doing something interesting and also i would like to live abroad in the future!

Hmm, let me share some personal experience here...

I had same plan about 11 years ago. Only that it was not like "some time in the future", but the plan was to leave for exotic places 6 month later.
I was already an experience diver at the time and decided to do DM and subsequently OWSI... only for my circumstances to change and I left the country - only for Ireland... and that resulted in a 8 years break from diving.

Make that investment when you are really, really certain this is what you want to do. Circumstances can change quicker than you think.

And also consider how easy it will be to get a job coming from a fast-track DM course / minumum number of dives required... instead of years of diving pactice....

NoQuarter

yep but again, by the time i would be looking for a job inthat field the fast track thing would probably not be an issue as i would have many many more dives under my belt at that stage.


i agree about circumstances changing but even if they do, i will still be a qualified diver and can dive as normal!

dory

Go for it! If it's a choice between that and spending a summer in Ireland......
It's not going to do you any harm to have it. Who knows where it'll lead you. Have fun!