SSI Dive Con Course, etc.

[BottomDweller]

I'm very fired up about taking the SSI Dive Con course in the future, although it'll be at least a year, as I need a few more specialties and don't have the dough to get them, or to take the Dive Con course, right now.

My questions are: Is a Dive Con (Dive Master/Assistant Instructor) considered a "dive professional?" I've read that it's the "first step toward the professional level," but I'm not sure how to interpret that. Also, are Dive Cons paid for those times they're working, i.e. assistant instructing, teaching specialties, etc.?

Just curious. I'm dying to get started regardless of the answers to the above questions. Now, if anyone has any spare cash lying around they don't need or if anyone knows of a scholarship program for Dive Cons...

[nauifins73]

Welcome to the dark side. I completed my DC course in July 06. According to SSI we are professionals. My Shop does not pay me for assisting with an open water class. I love the open water class and sharing my passion for diving with new divers.

I have not taught any specialities but I "think" a DC can teach a non-diving course such as Equipt speciality. I will find out for sure. We can teach a snorkeling class, Try SCUBA and SCUBA Skill Update.

I do get paid for the First Aid class (this is seperate from SSI DC) I teach.

It is a great course - I think I learned more from it than any I have taken.

Becky

[DeepDiverBob]

I cant speak for the SSI DC course, but the PADI DiveMaster is also the "First step in being a pro." There is a lot to learn in the class, but at least here in the St.Louis area, it seems like people are rushing through their DM so fast, they arent learning as much as they are suppose to be, and want to get into the AI and IDC as soon as they can. The net result from that, in my opinion, is there is a growing number of instructors in the area that are at the bare minimum for experience, and have very little experience to offer the classes that they teach.

Anyway, enjoy the DiveCon program, and take your time. Thereis no prize for the person who finishes first. Its about the knowledge and experience.

[MgicTwnger]

Thereis no prize for the person who finishes first. Its about the knowledge and experience.
Amen...........

[scubado]

I'm not familiar with SSI's classifications. However, if it's similar to PADI, then you are a professional. Congrats. That means a number of things other than stripes (e.g., liability, insurance, etc.). Different shops have differing policies regarding pay, expense reimbursement and insurance coverage. My current shop offers to cover the DMs and Instructors under the shop policy but you need to look at that and determine if it's an option and if so, is it the right option for you.

Not to rain on your parade. Just to make sure that you're adequately aware of the implications.

[BottomDweller]

Thanks for the input. I was actually open water certified with PADI, but have had a couple of experiences with an SSI shop that make me want to get my Dive Con instead of my DM and Asst. Instructor with PADI.

I agree with it not being a race, too. Actually, I wish more people would talk about that. I hear so much talk about how "so-and-so just got certified 5 months ago and already has 84 dives and 5 specialties" blah blah blah. That'd be great, but I'm not in a position to do that. I'd love to hear about more folks like me who have been certified for 2 years and are still struggling upward through the ranks. To read the magazines and listen to some folks talk, it almost sounds like everybody who gets into diving instantly falls in love with it, buys all their own equipment within a month after finishing their OW course, and is at least a Dive Master within a year and a half.

[theskull]

. . . I'd love to hear about more folks like me who have been certified for 2 years and are still struggling upward through the ranks. To read the magazines and listen to some folks talk, it almost sounds like everybody who gets into diving instantly falls in love with it, buys all their own equipment within a month after finishing their OW course, and is at least a Dive Master within a year and a half.

Great topic, and I whole-heartedly agree with DDBob that there are far too many "Instructors" who have little real diving experience and poor skills, who therefore have little to pass on in terms of knowledge, advice, and role-model diving ability.

I was a classic occasional resort diver for the first several years after I got certified--partly due to the shop that trained me (out of town and no longer in business) that told me there was no local diving worth doing and just wanted to sell their trips to their customers. Once I discovered on my own that there is excellent local diving to be had I became enthusiatic about it an dived often--for fun! This led me to realize that there was some additional training that would be a benefit to me, such as Rescue & Nitrox, and I found myself helping out a little with classes when I was out diving with the folks associated with my shop. I also found some excellent fun-diving buddies who were much more accomplished than I and learned as much as I could by diving with them and discussing the techniques and gear I saw them using.

When one of the instructors I was helping suggested I get the Divemaster certification so I could officially help with the classes it sounded like a good idea. That was one of the best steps I have taken and has been extremely rewarding. Also as DDBob mentioned earlier, my Divemaster training took a little over 6 months to complete and involved working with a great many classes of all types so that I could truly become effective as an assistant and acquire a breadth of experience at anticipating and solving student problems. I still love assisting with classes, so much so that I have so far refused to become an instructor so that I can continue to enjoy that role.

theskull

[BottomDweller]

I've heard about that several times - divers who like being a divemaster/assistant instructor because they get to have all the fun without having quite the level of responsibility/liability of an instructor. Sounds good! I'm looking forward to doing that, but again, it'll have to come slowly, as I'm not in a position to run right out and buy the classes needed to get me there.