Careers in diving - Career opportunity diving instructor
Diving practice
Careers in diving - Career opportunity diving instructor
Their office is in the Maldives, on the dream beaches of Indonesia or on board a cruise ship: diving instructors work where others go on vacation. It's easy to forget that being a diving instructor is a serious profession - with career opportunities that are currently excellent. The profession of diving instructor still has the reputation of being a dropout. People who take time off; people who spend a kind of paid vacation far from home. This image has been shaped over the years - and could not be more wrong in the present day.
Enthusiasm and professionalism are needed "What we need are beginners, not dropouts," says Otmar Schmitz of Extra Divers. "Women and men, in other words, who inspire with a mix of enthusiasm and professionalism. Who take the profession seriously and intend to pursue it in the long term. Those who bring these qualities can go far in the industry." Because one thing is clear: the taciturn and grumpy diving instructor of days gone by, who considers the dive center his personal domain, has had his day.
Service provider and contact person on vacation People who see themselves as service providers are now in demand. Who have understood that guests expect more from their dive center than the provision of compressed air cylinder and weights. Often the diving instructor is the first contact person on vacation. He must be able to recognize problems and offer possible solutions. Knowledge of foreign languages is an advantage, as well as the mastery of common office programs. Patience and empathy are required, rhetorical skills are just as important as diving skills. No question: The profession has become significantly more complex in recent years.
Search for qualified employees (m/f) But it is not only the requirements that have increased, but also the career prospects. Almost all major dive base chains are currently looking for qualified employees. "Never before," Ronny Kain, an employee of one of the large training organizations, is certain, "have the chances of promotion been better than now!" It often doesn't take long for the really good ones to be offered the management of a base: With that, they then lead a company with ten or twenty employees, often from several nations. This is middle management - and is paid accordingly.
Lateral entry is also possible In addition to the classic path - people who are enthusiastic about diving and would like to turn their hobby into a career at some point - career changers are also sought after: Those who have previously worked in the catering or hotel industry, for example, and are used to dealing with guests, usually already bring a lot of what is in demand. The prerequisites are therefore right; the necessary expertise, which a diving instructor must possess, can be imparted to the applicant by the diving centers themselves.
Unfounded fear of the future The main reason why many potential candidates prefer the apparent security of a job in the office to jumping into the usually not so cold water is fear of what will happen in old age. Fears about the future that often manifest themselves in the question of what will become when one can no longer cope with the demands of the job for physical reasons. "Anyone who has done a good job abroad," says Werner Lau, owner of one of the most established diving base chains, "doesn't have to worry about making the leap back to Germany later. He can start in the company's home office, with the diving industry or the various training organizations."
International experience and social competence Good people who have already worked in the industry and then want to change can easily find a new field of work. Especially since they have gained experience abroad that no one can take away from them later and that companies are desperately looking for. As a diving instructor, you work with people on a daily basis, get to know other countries and cultures, increase your social skills and learn to take a solution-oriented approach. The experiences you gain both above and below the water are priceless anyway - and certainly one of the strongest arguments for the profession of diving instructor.
Many job openings There are not many professions where the saying "the world is your oyster" is as true as it is for diving instructors. Whether it's the paradisiacal seclusion of a Maldivian atoll, anyone who checks out relevant job boards or diving centers directly will find that the range of jobs currently on offer is almost like a "make a wish" event.
Making contacts at boot Düsseldorf The best opportunity, however, to inform yourself without obligation is the world's largest water sports trade fair "boot" in Düsseldorf, which opens its doors from 23.01. to 31.01.2016. Almost all companies from the diving industry are gathered there in Hall 3 and look forward to your interest. And so a visit to the "boot" could also be the first step into a new, exciting life!
