Are you looking for a change of scene, a new career, a new adventure, or even just a way to make some extra money in your spare time? If you answered YES to any of these questions, you should consider becoming a scuba instructor.
As the PADI website says, “Teaching scuba diving allows you to share your love of the aquatic world with others while doing what you enjoy – being in, around and under water. PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors and PADI Assistant Instructors are the most sought-after dive professionals around the world because they’ve completed the program that sets the standard for training dive professionals. You earn a PADI Instructor rating through hard work and commitment, but you’re rewarded with a job that lets you share incredible underwater adventures with others – transforming their lives for the better and enriching yours.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Right now, there is actually a shortage of active dive instructors on Maui. What that means for you (if you live on Maui) is a high likelihood of finding a job in Maui’s scuba industry once you complete your professional training. As one of only two shops on Maui that offers the Instructor Development Course (IDC), we are often approached by dive shop, boat, and resort businesses looking for job candidates. Once you have successfully completed your Instructor Exams, it is our pleasure to help new Instructors connect with potential employers.
But what other opportunities exist out there? Being a PADI Instructor enables you to travel the world working in the dive industry at every stop! Dive instructors are wanted on cruise ships and liveaboards, in dive shops, and in fields like marine biology and underwater archaeology. Becoming a dive instructor could also be a step towards a career in commercial diving or working at a show in Vegas – seriously!
So, how does one become an instructor, you ask. Well, of course it starts with being a certified diver in the first place. Prerequisites also include successful completion of the Advanced, Rescue, Emergency First Response, and Divemaster courses.
The IDC and Instructor Exams (IE) are held on Maui twice a year, with the next one scheduled for this September. The training that leads up to that can start now! The next IDC will be from September 8-18, followed by two days of testing administered by a PADI examiner on September 19 & 20. There are also opportunities to complete your training and testing throughout Hawaii and the world. In fact, we often have candidates from the Mainland join us for this training every year.
If you’re interested, there’s still time to get the training you need to join us for the upcoming IDC; you could be teaching scuba by the end of September! This year, Jay will conduct our Instructor Development Course and at the time of this writing, we have only four spots remaining. You can even start now by enrolling in the online portion of the class immediately – just select Instructor Development Course from the drop-down menu.
Want to learn more? Call or email us. Instructors? We’d love to hear YOUR stories about how you decided to teach diving!
Aloha, Rachel
