Padi instructor for kitty replenishement!

[arbanais]

thank yo bob and evc for your sound and positive advices!

[bletso]

Originally Posted by wedivebc

The trick to dive instruction is to specialize. Lots of OWSIs in the world but not many trimix rebreather instructors. High demand for tech diving. I make $1500 per student for a CCR class.

Even that market is nearing saturation. It takes a lot of money and TIME to take all the courses up to that level. Most divers would like the CARD, but lack the mental acuity to achieve it safely, and your name is on the card!!! Remember Wes Skyles against Lamartek? They do something stupid and you get holding the bill. I have turned away more prospective students than I have accepted. Yes, some of them found a more hungry instructor and went on and did something stupid and received their Darwin awards.

One also has to consider location. Yes, in cave country there is a good demand as well in other isolated venues. Will the OP be in those locals long enough to do good? This whole tech diving thing is not for the instructors benefit, but for the certifying agencies. They see potential dollars. Well don't get me started on that.
For them it is all about numbers and if a few slip though the cracks, then that is what insurance is for.

I have been diving my own design MCCR, (Manual closed circuit rebreather), with trimix and in caves since before it was trendy. In fact the first time I dove it a group of WKKP guys waited in hopes of a body recovery. The OP will have to figure out if he has the time and money to pursue tech diving instruction. Further, will he have a big enough boat to haul the appropriate gear and supplies around and be willing to stay put at the places where tech diving is appropriate?

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by bletso

Even that market is nearing saturation. It takes a lot of money and TIME to take all the courses up to that level. Most divers would like the CARD, but lack the mental acuity to achieve it safely, and your name is on the card!!! Remember Wes Skyles against Lamartek? They do something stupid and you get holding the bill. I have turned away more prospective students than I have accepted. Yes, some of them found a more hungry instructor and went on and did something stupid and received their Darwin awards.

One also has to consider location. Yes, in cave country there is a good demand as well in other isolated venues. Will the OP be in those locals long enough to do good? This whole tech diving thing is not for the instructors benefit, but for the certifying agencies. They see potential dollars. Well don't get me started on that.
For them it is all about numbers and if a few slip though the cracks, then that is what insurance is for.

I have been diving my own design MCCR, (Manual closed circuit rebreather), with trimix and in caves since before it was trendy. In fact the first time I dove it a group of WKKP guys waited in hopes of a body recovery. The OP will have to figure out if he has the time and money to pursue tech diving instruction. Further, will he have a big enough boat to haul the appropriate gear and supplies around and be willing to stay put at the places where tech diving is appropriate?

And the answer to that is hell no. As noted, the complexity will keep the profitable legions out, not to mention the OP's costs in equipment, time, and experience to become that caliber of instructor, and that is not a given.

A couple of guys offered encouragement which made the OP happy but in reality OWSIs are a dime a dozen and aren't paid well. Nothing wrong with getting your card OP, and some spare sets of gear cuz you will likely pick up some private students along the way but if you want some reliable skills to make money, think deisel, think electronics, think AC/Refrigeration, think rigging.