Bryan, Good video.... I became a SSI Divecon in 1983. (DG, DM, AI) I paid around $500 for the class. I became an SSI instructor in 1987 for about $1500. In 1990, I became a TDI instructor (Nitrox and Blender) for about $500 (crossover). Then in 2000ish I added SDI I think it was $300. ...... SSI still today is the primary agency for me.
Hello Ray Brienza, thank you for sharing your experience with us. Just the other day, I had a new Dive Guide Student who wanted to schedule his ITC with us, and was shocked to find out how much the course increased in cost the further you advanced as a diver. I try to tell new divers, yes its an expense, but its also considered to be an investment. Thankfully, this investment pays great dividends in the long run. In comparison to your numbers, my Divemaster Program was free, as I worked an internship for the shop that I was with back then. My Instructor fees though, including travel expenses for my Instructor Evaluation was around $5000. For a young kid at a time, this literally broke me financially, but thankfully I was able to earn it back pretty quickly. To me, the investment was well worth it. Its when I started going higher that the price really began to sting me. At one point, I held a Course Director Title (CMAS), and 3 Instructor Trainer Titles (SSI, PDIC, and SSI), and a Master Scuba Diver Trainer Title (PADI), and my renewals were well over $1500 per year. Plus the Instructor Trainer courses for each of those agencies were around $5000-$8000 per course. I had to remind myself it was an investment.
That’s what was thinking on lines of. Thank u for always talking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my question. Thank u for taking the time to do these videos as well
I knew it had some costs but didn’t know it took that but relatively speaking for the level of responsibility to be a professional it wasn’t that much. The instructors literally have lives in your hands each time they hit the water that’s a tremendous responsibility.
Very true, and this is a great point for all new dive professionals to remember. We have people's lives in our hands. Its more about keeping them safe, than becoming rich. Like the old saying goes, "To make a million dollars in the Scuba Industries, you have to start with two million." It has never been about the money for me, but more so on teaching safe diving skills, and keeping people safe.
That was a really good look at what it takes to become a dive professional diver love your video keep up the good work one day I know that I will be there one day like you said it just takes time and money and if you have the time I would love for you to take a look at my video and just tell me what you think could be add or taken away thank you.
I am 37 and have only had two dives back in 2003, just lost my job, thinking about becoming a diver instructor, and plug out out of the busy life in Europa and move to Philippines. My question is, is my age 37 to high to become an instructor now?
Just curious me being a plumbing contractor I understand insurances with my business? Why do I have to buy insurance through the dive shop or whom I affiliated with?
Hello Greg Wicks, great question. In short, you don't. Any dive professional can secure their own liability insurance. A lot of shops like ours though, will carry a group policy, and will cover the entire professional staff. This way the professional does not have to worry about purchasing their own. In some situations, the shop can pay for half and let the professional member pay the other half, this helps reduce the cost on the dive professional. Other shops simply require the dive professional to carry their own.
Hello IncendiaHL, it was. Unfortunately, we had some errors in our footage, and uploaded the wrong file. So it took us a while to re-edit the video and re-uploaded it.
Depending on the training agency a divers chooses, each will have a minumun number they require. Typically, I would say 100 dives would be a good place to start. When we think about teaching scuba, there are many aspects to it. If it was a school teacher who already knows how to teach, then the skills would be the primary focus point. But you could take the best diver in the world, but they may have bad academic teaching skills (the basic methodolgy of how to teach), and the number of dives at that point would be irrelavant. This is where the ITC Programs come into play. They get training across the board, not just in one area.
Brian If one doesn’t teach for say 1-3 yrs do they have to keep paying the renewal fees? If they do is it a total of the years that you have been inactive?
Hello Will, great question. Typically when you go inactive, this means that you are not paying dues. When you decide to go active again, not only do you have to pay the dues, you also have to get renewed by doing the Instructor Updates. After a certain amount of time, remedial training is required, and on certain circumstances, the Instructor would need to attend another complete ITC.
Wow that is very very cheap I know we're in different industries however all of my technicians usually spend about a $100000 worth of college schooling and tools Just to be a professional in my industry But scuba diving is a business as well that's of easy investment to make to do the thing you love to do
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Thanks for putting it into black and white Brian, another great service to the community
You're welcome Bill, glad you liked the video.
Bryan, Good video.... I became a SSI Divecon in 1983. (DG, DM, AI) I paid around $500 for the class. I became an SSI instructor in 1987 for about $1500. In 1990, I became a TDI instructor (Nitrox and Blender) for about $500 (crossover). Then in 2000ish I added SDI I think it was $300. ...... SSI still today is the primary agency for me.
Hello Ray Brienza, thank you for sharing your experience with us. Just the other day, I had a new Dive Guide Student who wanted to schedule his ITC with us, and was shocked to find out how much the course increased in cost the further you advanced as a diver. I try to tell new divers, yes its an expense, but its also considered to be an investment. Thankfully, this investment pays great dividends in the long run. In comparison to your numbers, my Divemaster Program was free, as I worked an internship for the shop that I was with back then. My Instructor fees though, including travel expenses for my Instructor Evaluation was around $5000. For a young kid at a time, this literally broke me financially, but thankfully I was able to earn it back pretty quickly. To me, the investment was well worth it. Its when I started going higher that the price really began to sting me. At one point, I held a Course Director Title (CMAS), and 3 Instructor Trainer Titles (SSI, PDIC, and SSI), and a Master Scuba Diver Trainer Title (PADI), and my renewals were well over $1500 per year. Plus the Instructor Trainer courses for each of those agencies were around $5000-$8000 per course. I had to remind myself it was an investment.
That’s what was thinking on lines of. Thank u for always talking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my question. Thank u for taking the time to do these videos as well
You are very welcome, and thank you for watching our videos.
I knew it had some costs but didn’t know it took that but relatively speaking for the level of responsibility to be a professional it wasn’t that much. The instructors literally have lives in your hands each time they hit the water that’s a tremendous responsibility.
Very true, and this is a great point for all new dive professionals to remember. We have people's lives in our hands. Its more about keeping them safe, than becoming rich. Like the old saying goes, "To make a million dollars in the Scuba Industries, you have to start with two million." It has never been about the money for me, but more so on teaching safe diving skills, and keeping people safe.
Nice Video, good things to know as dmt 😊
Thanks Vod Kanokers, glad you liked the video.
That was a really good look at what it takes to become a dive professional diver love your video keep up the good work one day I know that I will be there one day like you said it just takes time and money and if you have the time I would love for you to take a look at my video and just tell me what you think could be add or taken away thank you.
Hello Ryan's River Finds, we would be happy to take a look at your video.
I am 37 and have only had two dives back in 2003, just lost my job, thinking about becoming a diver instructor, and plug out out of the busy life in Europa and move to Philippines. My question is, is my age 37 to high to become an instructor now?
Hello Jacob Marquez, the last 4 Instructors I have trained were well into their 40's and beyond.
Just curious me being a plumbing contractor I understand insurances with my business? Why do I have to buy insurance through the dive shop or whom I affiliated with?
Hello Greg Wicks, great question. In short, you don't. Any dive professional can secure their own liability insurance. A lot of shops like ours though, will carry a group policy, and will cover the entire professional staff. This way the professional does not have to worry about purchasing their own. In some situations, the shop can pay for half and let the professional member pay the other half, this helps reduce the cost on the dive professional. Other shops simply require the dive professional to carry their own.
Firsttttt!
Wasn’t this uploaded earlier?
Hello IncendiaHL, it was. Unfortunately, we had some errors in our footage, and uploaded the wrong file. So it took us a while to re-edit the video and re-uploaded it.
LakeHickoryScuba Awesome!. Thanks for your effort. Great content :)
You're welcome, and thank you for watching.
How many dives or how much experience would you recommend someone have before venturing down this road?
Depending on the training agency a divers chooses, each will have a minumun number they require. Typically, I would say 100 dives would be a good place to start. When we think about teaching scuba, there are many aspects to it. If it was a school teacher who already knows how to teach, then the skills would be the primary focus point. But you could take the best diver in the world, but they may have bad academic teaching skills (the basic methodolgy of how to teach), and the number of dives at that point would be irrelavant. This is where the ITC Programs come into play. They get training across the board, not just in one area.
Brian
If one doesn’t teach for say 1-3 yrs do they have to keep paying the renewal fees? If they do is it a total of the years that you have been inactive?
Hello Will, great question. Typically when you go inactive, this means that you are not paying dues. When you decide to go active again, not only do you have to pay the dues, you also have to get renewed by doing the Instructor Updates. After a certain amount of time, remedial training is required, and on certain circumstances, the Instructor would need to attend another complete ITC.
Wow that is very very cheap I know we're in different industries however all of my technicians usually spend about a $100000 worth of college schooling and tools Just to be a professional in my industry But scuba diving is a business as well that's of easy investment to make to do the thing you love to do
Hello Rev Tech Marine, you are correct this investment is relatively cheap compared to some professions.
Always like your videos, very interesting. Keep it up. I paid about $2900 with PADI.
Thanks Marilu Carvallo.
please cut the first 50 secs off your vids. thx.
weiniesail : tap the screen on the right side, approx 6 times. You’re welcome.
That music though.... As pleasant as listening to a siren and fingers on a chalkboard at the same time! (Still love your videos).
Just skip it.....
Hello weiniesail, sorry you don't like our into music.