Divemaster - what can I do?

[diverdan]

My goodness you are quick to reply.

Thanks any further info would be appreciated.

[Brian of Aquanauts]

Cross over is easy... most BSAC full instructors need only do half of the PADI Instructor development course, therefore it's only about £350 to your LDS for the course (instead of £800 +). Then there's the PADI Instructor Examination cost (just over £300 for 2 full days of practical and theory exmas) plus your first years PADI Instructor membership (c.£100). All of this assuming you have the materials (c.£300 for books et al).

The training and examination is easy if you're taught well... you just have to learn the commercial aspects of teaching and the recent teaching methadology. Pick a good Course Director and the whole process is a breeze.

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by Kirstie

I know it is definitely possible to cross over because Paul has asked about it before - it costs a fair bit though. It might be worth contacting your local PADI centre to find out more - we only made very tentative enquiries so don't really know much about what it involves.

Hi Guys,

Although one of the less well known agencies in this country, SSI is more prevalent in the US, South America and Australia/NZ so might be worth a look.

SSI offers a cross over regime which recognises the experience you already have without making you go back to first principles.

Their US site also has details of jobs available and includes a few in Florida currently. http://www.ssiusa.com/public_jobs_posting.cfm

If you are interested, then please PM me and I can put you in contact with a UK Instructor Certifier to discuss further.

Regards
Mal

[jph6969]

Hi guys,

I spent a year travelling and diving south east asia and would recommend itstrongly. The diving is good to great, the culture is varied, the weather hot and most importantly it's cheap!!

Here is a selection of place you could do

Thailand! Koh Tao is a diving island where converting Paul to PADI would be easy and where the cost for the DM is about £350 which normally includes unlimited diving check out

http://www.amazingkohtao.com/recreat...ish.html#price

This is the biggest of about 30 dive shops and I only give them as an example of prices. Do a google for Koh Tao dive shops and take a look. This is one of the cheapest places in the world to do any PADI course. Accomodation can be had from real basic at £50 for a month upwards. Let me know if you are interested. Paul and you should be able to get work here if you wanted.

Koh Lak is the main stop for dives to the Similands off Thailands west coast though you can also go with operators from Phukket. South of there is Phi Phi island and still further south Koh Lanta which is great, contact Lanta divers, they operate from oct/nov till april, they might be able to employ Paul and you if you have your DM by then.

Continuing down the peninsular you have the perhentian islands of the northeast coast of Malaysia, the Tioman islands of the south east coast and at the end of course you have Singapore.

From there you can get to Borneo where there is some good diving of Kota Kinabalu and some great diving off Pulau Sipidan!!!!!!!!!!!

In Indo you have, North Sulawaisi the Manado area and the tioman islands right on the equator others have already mentioned operators in the south of Sulawaisi. There is some diving of Java but not much, Bali and lombok there is loads and I have alot of info on the area if you want it just let me know. Diving the Komodo area is also great, for me better than Australias GBR.

Don't forget that you can only get a 30 day visa on entry to Indo, but can get longer if you apply before hand I think? so you may find you have to hop in and out!

And on and on and on!!!!!!!!! bottom line, seriously consider south east asia for doing courses, for being cheap and for great diving. Think about getting flights into Bangkok and out of Bali and do the bit between overland. I have done both a 2 month and 1 year trip this way!! budget about £300 per person / month for travel, accom, food and drink and have a months money as spare as well as diving money on top. If you have to work so be it, but if you don't then you will enjoy it all the more.

If you need any more detailed info let me know. My ATOL will be through soon so I may be able to get cheaper flights for you as well.

Enjoy

Jason

[Simon TW]

Originally Posted by Kirstie

Turbanator and I are giving serious thought to going abroad for six months (possibly longer) in Sept/Oct 2006

The favourite location at the moment seems to be the Florida Keys, where Paul probably wouldn't have too many problems getting work as an instructor. I have two questions.

Firstly, Paul is a BSAC instructor. We assume that he would stand a better chance of getting a job (temporary or otherwise) if he converted to PADI. Is this the case?

Secondly, at the moment I'm an AOW with 34 dives to my name. I expect to do a lot more dives this summer and intend taking my RD later this year. Realistically, the highest level I could reach before we go is Divemaster (I have no intention of rushing through training for the sake of getting to instructor level). What sort of work could I get with this qualification? Or, am I better off doing my damndest to get to instructor level in the next 15 months?

Thank you!

Hi Kirstie, I can't help much on this as my knowedge is limited to the Red Sea.

I do know that to work in the USA will be difficult because uncle sam doesn't like foreigners doing work that the home boys can do. If your serious about the keys then I suggest that you check out the permitt situation before wasting you time on other things.

Hope it goes well.

[Chardy]

Kirstie/Paul,

the biggest issue for the US might be work visas. I expect Paul might pick one up through his IT skills.
My authorisation will, hopefully allow me to work for anyone, so I can work as a part time Instructor whilst here to cover my PADI fees - off the US Embassy on Thursday ! fingers crossed.

If you want any on Florida please feel free to PM me, I'm going to be learning all that stuff late in July,

Paul

[NotDeadYet]

The Keys are a very nice place, and the further you get from America along Highway 1 the nicer it gets. Key West can be a toruist trap but it is also a great place to stay (and the best dives, the USS Wilkes-Barre is probably one of the best wreck dives in the world, about 70m to the bottom, 50-60m to the top). Key Largo probably has the biggest concentration of dive shops/schools/boats but I never liked it, a concrete ribbon with concrete hotels either side -- not somewhere I especially liked hanging around in. The Keys aren't especially cheap to live in either but they are very beautiful and the lifestyle is great.

[tara]

hi kirstie

yes i reakon you would be better converting to padi..
as a dive centre manager in europe i had the same question im BSAC AI and converted to PADI and am now a PADI IDCs..... staff instructor and most centres especially in the usa want padi.........BSAC trainning is top but padi is more an american thing./. you would also have to check about visas as most usa dive centres want us citizens??
Tara good luck