Hi.
I don't know about Thailand but reading the Pattaya feedback, even I'd be encouraged to be careful.
But yes, I went through a similar if not identical experience of "packing and changing" towards the diving industry some 9 years ago (but in the UK). I was already a diver of many years so the instructing element was an addon to the experience and one that gradually expanded and grew into different fields parallel to my diving interests. I took it on as it 'financed' my then primary hobby.
But unless guaranteed some form of employment immediately afterwards, my personal advice would be to be careful in ditching everything in and approaching these "six month and instructor" options as most seem quite temporary abroad due to local competition and new qualified labour (the courses and employments being a constant stream).
Primarily if you will be seeking immediate employment back in the UK you'd probably be looking realistically at more experience after the licence anyway. Definitely not six months. Like in all sectors, experience counts a lot in the industry and reflects also on distribution of income here. But even there, in parts of the world where western interests generally regulate the environment, I would assume the same goes.
*Diving Instructing* is great and rewarding but many will find their 'additional abilities' are the actual employment scores in real life when applying for full time employment. From shop running to management, designing to publicity, contact and communication etc. even accounts, bookkeeping etc. abilities.
So any current qualifications you have at the moment thru your job would definitely build up on an employment change and chance but could also be the crucial part of a longer term (fulfilling) employment.
Any extra qualifications and experiences you can gain wherever you train, from boating to servicing etc. will just add on eventually to real life employment where the *job* could then become your primary through multiple responsibilities.
BTW I am an active instructor, (past IANDT) currently PADI and TDI, and I do work in the industry still. Do I regret the change after all I said? -- following 16 years of investigative journalism -- No. I still think its great ;-)
Safe diving
Izzy
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