Connect with us
background

Dive Training Blogs

Top jobs in Scuba Diving

Published

on

By: Brittany Hadfield

So you’ve gotten your first diving certification and now you’re hooked. You’re bored of your current job and you’re looking for something more exciting, right? While it is possible to have a career in diving with only an open water certification, often times it takes more training to achieve professional status. Below, we describe a few careers in which you can dive for a living! What could be better?

Dive Instructor
Salary: $31,000 – $50,000

Of course there’s the most obvious job of all… scuba instructor! This job sounds like the dreamiest one of all… You spend your days on dive boats and exploring the underwater world. You might even get to live in a beautiful tropical location if you’re one of the super lucky ones. Being a dive instructor comes with a lot of responsibility; you have to make sure that your students are using the proper techniques and doing so safely. With that also comes the reward of introducing and guiding students into underwater discovery and awe. Overall, if you’re looking for a job that combines teaching and diving this might be the one for you.

Underwater Photographer
Salary: $35,000 – $60,000

Do you have a knack for photography? Love to dive? This might be the job for you. Underwater photographers take photos and videos of marine life, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and caves. These photographers might work in the fashion and hospitality industries as well, photographing underwater models and resort advertisements. While the photographer’s main job might be shooting pictures, they also need to be well-versed in their editing skills, they also need to be able to adjust light, coloring, and staging challenges that shooting underwater brings.

To have a career as an underwater photographer, one must have the proper qualifications as a diver or snorkeler to perform this job. This starts at an open water certification and can advance as high as you wish. SDI also offers an underwater photography course for those who are interested in learning more. This is an introductory course and if you want to learn more we would suggest taking some higher level courses through a local workshop or at the college/university level. While some photographers have a high school diploma only, others find it helpful to seek higher education to better learn processes and equipment.

Golf Ball Diver
Salary: $36,000-55,000

This one isn’t an option that people think of often, but it’s definitely legitimate if you have the proper documentation; this being an agreement or contract with the course you plan to dive. If all you’ve ever experienced in diving is crystal clear, warm water, this might not be the job for you. Most of the time the waters golf ball divers are going into is murky and contaminated from pesticides and other chemicals. These waters often contain dangerous animals such as water moccasins, gators, and snakes. Let’s not forget about the downed trees, branches, hazardous trash such as broken glass and barbed wire, and low to zero visibility. Because of these factors, divers should be extremely confident in their abilities as a diver and also know self rescue skills. This job requires an advanced scuba diver certification due to the low to no visibility in the ponds of the golf courses. Divers might also consider taking a drysuit and full face mask course due to the nature of the waters they’re diving.

After you’ve taken into account all of the factors listed above, you then have to know about how competitive this business is. In the business of golf ball divers, you have poachers who sneak onto the courses at night and dive or wade on the edge to gather balls. The way a golf ball diver business works, a diver has a contractual agreement with the course(s) they are diving at that they get back a certain amount of money per each ball collected (this fee is usually 8-10 cents). Sometimes, the course will even take a percentage of balls back to use on their driving range. A diver will collect somewhere around 3,000 balls on an average day (8am-12pm) and will get back half of the original cost of those balls (some going for as high as $50 per dozen when new).

Commercial Diving
Salary: $54,750 – $93,910

This job isn’t one you take on a whim because it’s one that comes with many risks. It also varies from one extreme to another. Commercial diving is a very broad field ranging from underwater inspection to HAZMAT jobs. Commercial diving means working below the surface of water, performing tasks such as repairing, removing, or installing equipment underwater. Commercial divers use power & hand tools to conduct tests/experiments and rig explosives underwater. There are usually four factors to determining a commercial diver’s salary which include: diver experience, employer, location, and depth of dive. The commercial diving field isn’t one that is limited by location, but often you would work for 4-8 weeks in the field and have anywhere from 10 days – 4 weeks off to decompress and relax. This career is one that requires specialized schooling rather than a specific certification.

Marine Archaeologist
Salary: $39,000 – $72,000

Do shipwrecks interest you? Does the thought of finding sunken treasure excite you? Marine Archaeology might be the job for you. These are the people who study the ocean floor looking for shipwrecks and sites that might contain human remains to items of monetary value. You might also be in charge of keeping a database of shipwrecks in your area and updating it on a regular basis to make sure looters don’t disturb wreck sites. Marine archaeologists are also the people called when someone wants to build something in the ocean that might disrupt the ocean floor. They check the site to make sure the area is okay to build in and that there are no other wrecks that will be affected. Overall, your job here would be to preserve underwater artifacts and protect local wildlife. This job requires a certification that will allow you to dive shipwrecks, you’ll need advanced buoyancy, and even nitrox for longer dives.

Public Safety Diver
Salary: $39,000

Do you know who deals with accidents and crime scenes in bodies of water? Did you know there are specialized diving certifications for law enforcement officers? These divers are called public safety divers; they can be found diving into bodies of water to rescue or recover people or evidence in accidents and on crime scenes. Often times, these divers are faced with dangerous diving conditions with little to no visibility. Public safety diving requires very intense training; one must be prepared to see things that are not only frightening, but also very heartbreaking. You can learn more about being a public safety diver by visiting: https://www.tdisdi.com/erdi/get-certified/

Diving can be extremely rewarding recreationally, but if you truly can’t get enough there’s no reason you shouldn’t explore it as a career. So jump in, do some research, and most importantly keep on diving!


To find out more about International Training, visit www.tdisdi.com.

From its humble beginning in 1994 to today, the group of training agencies Scuba Diving International (SDI), Technical Diving International (TDI), and Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI) form one of the largest diving certification agencies in the World – International Training. With 24 Regional Offices servicing more than 100 countries, the company today far exceeds the original vision the founders had when they conceived the idea on a napkin, sitting at a kitchen table in the early 1990’s.

Blogs

Four opportunities to go pro in 2024 with Dive Friends Bonaire

Published

on

idc

Dive Friends teaches the Instructor Development Course (IDC) several times a year to students who are eager to share their passion for diving with the world.

Dive Friends is known for the personal approach throughout the course. Their in-house course director will lead the students through every essential step, mentoring them to achieve their fullest potential as a dive instructor.

Applications for the following IDC start dates are now open:

  • 12 April
  • 5 July,
  • 20 September
  • 29 November

Partnership with Casita Palma

If the student opts for the IDC-Deluxe or IDC-Supreme package, their accommodation will be arranged for them at Casita Palma. This small and quiet resort is within walking distance from Dive Friends Bonaire’s main dive shop location and has everything you need to relax after an intense day of IDC training. Breakfast is included, so the student will always be fuelled and ready for their day.

Contact Dive Friends Bonaire’s Course Director Eddy for more information: coursedirector@divefriendsbonaire.com.

Continue Reading

Blogs

Scubility: Achieving Success through Adaptability

Published

on

scubility

Introduction to Scubility

Being a scuba diving professional, I am always fascinated by the beauty of the underwater world, filled with colorful coral and a variety of marine species. Every dive site around the world has something unique to offer, attracting the diving community to immerse themselves time and time again. The feeling of being underwater is a unique experience, akin to being in space, where you can escape Earth’s gravity to enjoy the freedom of movement. However, water sports are often believed to be accessible only to those with good physical strength, leaving others to only dream of being there.

The Genesis of Scubility

Scubility was developed as a way to help people with disabilities experience the magic of scuba diving or snorkeling. A few years back we became involved in the SDI Scubility program as a way to use our diving experience and knowledge to bring disabled people beneath the ocean. To empower them with a feeling where they can forget their disability and limitations. The image of a Wheelchair Hero from the movie ‘AVATAR’, who could walk and run only in dreams, was the first seed of the idea for a local Scubility program.

scubility

Launching the Scubility Course

Since 2014, my friend has dedicated himself to helping disabled people. Knowing that I am an SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, he called upon me to help bring them into the world of scuba diving. Captivated by this idea, I decided to offer a special diving course adapted for disabled people: the SDI Scubility Course. The sole purpose was to bring happiness and a feeling of belonging back to our precious disabled students, by giving them an immersive experience under the sea. Perhaps, the mother ocean has a way of treating us all equally, to rebuild confidence and give hope of being alive.

scubility

Adapting Diving for All Abilities

Initially, most Scubility divers in our programs were wheelchair users. The main challenge was to design a unique technique suitable for each Scubility diver, based on their limitations. To do so, we set up a protocol keeping in mind all the scenarios that could arise during diving, starting from boarding the boat, to diving, and the communication signals during the dive. Training was also provided to volunteer participants, mostly instructors and assistant divers.

scubility

The Scubility Program in Action

In the last four events, we have enrolled many Scubility divers in the program. We also have a team of trained instructors and assistants; without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The main objective was to make safe and comfortable diving experiences for Scubility students. In fact, in the last Scubility program, which concluded in March 2023, we included a blind diver along with six other Scubility divers. We also had 8 instructors and more than 10 assistant participants to make this possible.

scubility

The main challenge for blind divers is to set up a communication signal. So, I designed a unique ‘touch signal’ for blind students where they just need to touch an arm to convey a message. For example, when an instructor touches your arm twice, it means he is asking, “Are you okay?”. In case of any emergency during the dive, the blind diver just needs to squeeze the arm of the instructor to get his attention to solve the problem. For each Scubility diver, there were at least two personnel, an instructor, and an assistant, assigned.

Impact and Emotions of Scubility

The most satisfying experience of this program was to see Scubility divers happy, with emotional, teary eyes. I could imagine that probably for the first time, or perhaps the only time, some of them could walk, stand, and move again underwater without a wheelchair, feeling alive again. Seeing a courageous Scubility diver overcoming all challenges and obstacles to make it possible definitely inspires me to organize more events like this.

scubility

“Scuba Diving for All” Event

The biggest local Scubility program, named “Scuba Diving for All,” was organized in Khao Lak, Phang-nga Province, south of Thailand, from October 30 to November 5, 2018. We invited international Scubility participant divers for this event. Leading up to this program, we put in lots of effort, preparing hotels and resorts in a friendly design, making sure of choosing good dive sites, and above all, to bring a smile to our precious Scubility students.

scubility

I hope that this endeavor will serve as an inspiration for people worldwide to achieve what may seem impossible, while also raising awareness about the importance of charity and kindness in our society. I look forward to welcoming you soon to our joyful underwater realm.

As an SDI TDI & Scubility IT, Dan Phutthakhun Prungkananon, owner of All Star Diving Academy located in Thailand, has a deep-rooted passion for ensuring safety and fun in the water. Keep up with Dan and the All Star Diving Academy via Instagram  or Facebook and by checking out their Dive Center Facebook.

Continue Reading

E-Newsletter Sign up!

Experience the Red Sea in May with Bella Eriny Liveaboard! As the weather warms up, there’s no better time to dive into the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea. Join us on Bella Eriny, your premier choice for Red Sea liveaboards, this May for an unforgettable underwater adventure. Explore vibrant marine life and stunning coral reefs Enjoy comfortable accommodation in our spacious cabins Savor delicious meals prepared by our onboard chef Benefit from the expertise of our professional dive guides Visit our website for more information and to secure your spot: www.scubatravel.com/BellaEriny or call 01483 411590 More Less

Instagram Feed

Popular