Consider a career as an instructor in scuba diving if you're looking for part-time work. A diving instructor can make enough to pay for your travels and hobbies. Many middle-aged scuba instructors are retired teachers, law enforcement officers, and military veterans. Many enjoy a secure pension and a satisfying second life. Read on to learn more about how to become a certified scuba instructor.
To become a scuba instructor, you must have the following qualifications
You must complete a scuba dive instructor course before you can become a scuba diver. The course teaches you the fundamentals of scuba equipment and how to breathe underwater. You'll also learn about safety and theory of diving. These topics are covered both in a book and via eLearning. Additionally, you will be required to perform a confined-water practice, which is usually done in a swimming pool. Four open water dives will be required to test your knowledge and skills at 18 meters.
Scuba instructors are also called "travelers" as they often travel. They are considered leaders in the industry and certifying agencies support their instructors. Instructor training does more than teach people how to dive. It also teaches them how they can care for others. Instructors are also trained in basic emergency medicine skills and professional selling skills. Scuba instructors also have access at a significant discount to gear and parts. This allows them to buy new kits and replacements at half the cost of retail.
Salary for a scuba instructor
A scuba instructor's annual salary is typically around $18,000 to $20,000, but it can increase over time. It isn't a great salary for a professional career but it will cover many expenses such as living in foreign countries. The take-home pay for scuba instructors is usually higher than the national average because they live abroad. However, it is not uncommon for them to have to relocate frequently to find stable work.
As an instructor, you'll be responsible for teaching others to dive, as well as leading dive trips. If you're interested in this career choice, you'll find the job highly demanding and never boring. Good communication skills are important, as well as a positive attitude, to attract potential clients. Scuba instructors who have worked in the hospitality industry, for example, should be able to build good relationships with local business owners.
Instructors who teach scuba diving are required to be able to communicate with their students.
Scuba instructors are not easy jobs. Scuba instructors can be a mix of several skills, making them highly competitive. It's not surprising, then, that the demand for scuba instructors far outweighs the supply. Instructors might have to balance teaching with their work-life balance, carrying heavy tanks and dealing with high-stress situations.
The environment in which a scuba instructor works varies depending on what resort or dive facility they work at. For example, a dive store-based instructor may work 40 hours a week to teach two classes, averaging 60 hours per week. A resort-based instructor may work six days a weeks, and even seven days during peak tourist periods. You must keep up with the latest trends and techniques in order to be competitive in this industry.
The career outlook for a scuba instructor
Divers have many benefits and a career as an instructor can help you reap many of them. This job is best for people who enjoy being outdoors in the ocean and do not like to deal with violence. Scuba instructors are able to develop as leaders and individuals in addition to the physical benefits. Scuba instructors will work in a team and be surrounded by mentors and other like-minded individuals. This career is not for everyone. It requires heavy lifting and can be stressful.
Scuba instructors may not have typical job duties, but they do expect to work more than forty hours a week, sometimes teaching as many as two classes. In busy periods, some instructors might work seven days a weeks. Instructors working at dive resorts will typically work between 60 and 60 hours per week. Scuba instructors typically work 40 hours per week and teach two classes each week.