Scuba Instructor: How to become a Dive Instructor
DIVEIN Team
DIVEIN.com was started in 2009 by two brothers with a passion for scuba diving, travel and water sports! Since then, writers from Europe and North America...
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Scuba Instructor: How to become a Dive Instructor
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Thanks for the info! My name is joey, I started diving a while ago and just fell in love. I did a ton of dives along with my advanced cert and rescue, but with exception of stamps from a good dive shop and signatures many of the dives are not logged proper. I jumped In head first right after leaving New Jersey and where I took my original test to doing deep, rescue , night, wreck, incursions, etc. all on a 2 month Miami Florida trip. The divers where all great teachers and Miami Dive and Surf is super place to work with. This was back in 2014 and I dove often after. Now that I just beat a fight with Leukemia and was cured I cant go back to a job I hate when I can make a living doing the one thing I love most. I am glad to hear about the possibility of doing an internship and only worry is that I dove so often without logging with exception of about 30 dives done all on that trip to Miami. Should I just expect to have to log new dives, are the classes and extra dives acceptable towards experience dives, and do they keep track (PADI) through the dive shop records. Sorry for the length, and thanks for any info you can give. I am going to start by looking into intern work in New Jersey this summer season, and with the exception of paper work have more than enough dive experience just hoping to cut some of the costs of the process if possible as I invested in only the best equipment and it was stolen when I was hospitalized so you got me thinking might be a way to get at least some sort of discount from the dive shop If I am lucky enough to find one in need of help. Thanks again, it might not pay the best in the world but if your reading as I was and your passion is diving and meeting great groups of like minded people then the joy it gives, for me at least is something to look forward to every day instead of being stuck in even a well paying job that you do not enjoy! Thanks for your time and info. Joey.
Hi Isabel,
Don’t be all too worried about the dive count just yet. You’ll most likely have plenty of fun dives along the way. A dive is counter no matter the location and body of water. Each and every dive will give you a bit more experience.
When I started my Divemaster I didn’t have enough dives, but I had that chance to do a divemaster internship where I could join as many dive trips as I wanted. That gave me enough to do the instructor course.
Im at the very beginning stages of scuba diving, but one day hope to get a job as an instructor! Im fresh out of college and have saved up to get my two first certifications, but I am worried about how I will be able to log in 100 dives in numerous places, without having money to travel around the world to dive. I know experience is a big factor in instructing but all my funds are barely able to cover my certification classes. I plan on diving a lot around the coast where I live, but Is it a huge factor diving in other locations or more dives in general?
Great article! I’ve been saving up for my Divemaster course (and maybe the IDC, depending on where would I take it), and I think I’m finally able to afford the costs of courses, equipment, living, etc. However, being 2021 and with the pandemic still going on strong, I’m not sure how easy it would be to find a job between now and say, summer for example. So, is it a good idea to quit my 9-5 office job and begin my scuba diving career at this point? Or maybe I should wait until there are more job opportunities for rookie Divemasters, given the covid restrictions around the world? Don’t know if it would help but my plan is moving over to Mexico after becoming a Divemaster since I think it would be easier to find a year round job over there. Thanks!
Well we are in the progress of making a “moving oversea” article series. send me an email torben@DIVEIN.com and lets see what we can figure out.
Yes, looking for DM work in Europe to begin with. Maybe Dive.In could publish something on the main web pages to try and help get me a job?
We’d love to help! What do you have in mind? We are “unfortunately” not running a dive center, so we can’t hire you as a Divemaster.
Are you looking for DM work in Europe? I’ve never as an instructor in Europe, so I don’t know how exactly it works. Where the tourists are, the work is! But in Europe this will only be a summer job then. There is diving year round in places like Egypt, Caribbean and many places in Asia. Hope it helps a bit!
Catch 22 though- Need a job to pay for the instructors course! Looking in Europe but open to suggestions- Maybe DIVEIN.com could help??
I’ve found it hard to get a job as DM, simply because you can get an Instructor for almost the same price as a DM. The Companies can use the Instructor too much more. I think it depends where in the world your are planning to be working? There are many instructor jobs out there, but there’s also many instructors trying to get the jobs. That is the biggest issue being the working man in this industry :) Though once you get the job, you’ll love it! Guarantee!
My best advice is go for the Dive instructor, it WILL enhance your chances for job.
Hope for the best and feel free to check back in and leave us a comment with your future decision, and where in the world you landed.
Good article, however- I am struggling to find a job as a Divemaster- Everyone said “become a DM and get some work” why would I want to spend the money only to find I still cant get a job
hi Danny, thanks for asking. PADI has a quite good job board. But you need to be pro member. There are some different scuba forums taht have job treats they could also work. In general there are jobs to get. But there’s many instructors out there so you need to work for them. The problem for new instructors is always experience. If you have further questions fell free to comment again. Good luck.
Are there any good job boards for instructores looking for work out there?
Want to start my instructor education in the spring next year, but unsure if there are jobs to get in this economy?