Is there a career in diving???????

[Mark Chase]

Diving is much the same as any small buisness. If you own the company theres a good chance you can make a good living out of it, but if you work for the company I dont think you will do any thing much above survive.

I know two people who own diving buisnesses and they both seem to be doing OK.

That said whilst the multiple overseas gigs with studants sound great, I am sure for me the novelty would wear thin very quickly.

ATB

Mark

[Kev]

I quite fancy teaching diving some day after I retire (sadly this event is a long way off). I know a couple of people who own diving businesses and as far as I can tell the money is terrible and its hard work.

[secondrule]

The simple answer is no.

The old adage of "How do you make a million quid as a diving instructor - start with 5 million" certainly is true.

But, saying that, I have been doing it for years, and I have lived and worked in the Far East, The Middle East and Australia.

The work-life expectancy of an instructor is only 3 years. After that, you either;
1) Grow up and get a proper job
2) Run out of your savings that have supplemented your instructing income
3) become a manager
4) get bent from so many emergency ascents with idiot students that you can tie up your shoes with your teeth, but struggle to reach the porn magazines on the top shelf.

The world and his sister are PADI instructors, so unless;
1)You can speak 3 languages
2)You have a lot of money to support yourself while you look for a job
3) You get really lucky,

You will need to get yourself onto the PADI homepages and apply for anything going in the Med/Red Sea where the Brit tourists hang out.

Any other sort of Instructor will get work, but will struggle to make the same level of income - regularly - as a PADI instructor.

Sad, but true.

So, the moral of the story is ...
If you are a lucky, blonde, tall, large breasted female who can speak 5 languages (including Russian & Japanese), drive a boat, operate a compressor, repair equipment and suck-start a Harley Davidson, then you may get a job quite quickly ... otherwise ...
Keep doing it for fun.

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by secondrule

So, the moral of the story is ...
If you are a lucky, blonde, tall, large breasted female who can speak 5 languages (including Russian & Japanese), drive a boat, operate a compressor, repair equipment and suck-start a Harley Davidson, then you may get a job quite quickly ... otherwise ...
Keep doing it for fun.

Shucks I'm only 5'2". That's me out

[secondrule]

Originally Posted by Buoyant Babe

Shucks I'm only 5'2". That's me out

If you can fulfill the (b)rest of the requirements, then I would start a dive centre business up, just for you!!!

Hell! I wouldnt even look for customers! Just talk dirty to me in Russian!

[BJ]

There are two types of people in the diving industry. Young people who have no money and older people who had money but are soon going to be like the younger people - only older!

[lostdiver]

Wow, there really is some anger out there. Thanks for all the support guys, I'm at work now. Ticking away really unsure about what I should do??????

I'm sure the toss up between money and enjoyment is a regular worry but which one and by how much does the other outweight by.

I think for the next year or two i'm having to take the £'s. I left working at the dive shop because I never got to go diving because had no money!!!!! But never realised how much i enjoyed it.

I really didn't think this thread would have so much of an impact, but is interesting to hear that there are so many others that have been in my position.

Cheers guys,

Ben

[Digger]

I find it very hard to enjoy anything when I am thousands of pounds in debt with no obvious route out. I have been in that situation twice, one of which was because of working as a DM for 4 months. I had to give it up and get sorted, and that meant coming home and going to uni at the time.

If you make a career out of it, just remember to look after yourself above all else. Any damage to ears, lungs, heart, and injuries which put you out of diving for any length of time and you either don't have a job any more or end up running a shop. And if you're going to run a shop you might as well run one which earns you good money.

Don't get me wrong, I am still looking for a good way to make money out of the dive industry, but in 10 years of making a quick buck here and there I still haven't found anything long term.

Digs.

[Dr T]

I know many people who took up instructing as a way to their dream. After a year or so of doing open waters they realise the fun has gone out of it, reduce the teaching and go back to enjoying the diving with friends at weekends.

i would say, go up through the ranks of your day job and enjoy trips around the world as holidays. I too sit in an office mostly bored out of my brain, but then my inspo, weekends, holidays and scapa next week tend to make up for it.

just my 2p worth

ash

[Dr T]

this has all been done before, but

a well known inland site would pay you £100 for teaching an OW course.

Then think that is a minimum of two full weekends or pool and shallow water work. = £25 for at least an 8hr day

then add on medical, insurance, kit etc...

go on your own and you could make £50 to £100 profit per student. 2 courses a month, 12 students = £1200/month profit. Knock off all your personal fees etc... you make more being a dustman

not worth the time and effort

a