Scuba diving is gaining rapid popularity, as the passion for water sports has shown a tremendous increase. There are numerous training schools that organize certified scuba diving programs. There are nearly 2000 professional scuba dive centers in the United States. Before enrolling for a scuba diving program, students must check the various schools and centers to find out which course suits their requirements. A lot of schools that train students for scuba diving are certified, and this certification is internationally recognized. Many scuba divers enroll with internationally recognized agencies like the Professional Association of Diving Instruction, also known as (PADI). The level of certification obtained by divers can determine the various types of scuba diving jobs.
The divers can also choose to work part-time or fulltime. Divers who are certified on as a professional can lead recreational diving excursions, own scuba equipment stores, or help researchers to acquire underwater data. They can also be instructors and teach the techniques of scuba diving. Others choose to do professional rescue jobs, deep-sea diving and underwater photography. One of the most popular scuba diving jobs is that of a diving instructor. These divers conduct courses for the general public, as well as for professionals. They also teach various safety measures needed while underwater. Dive instructors can navigate, check prevailing water conditions and also assist divers with ways to handling defective equipment. Apart from earning a steady salary, these scuba divers gather a considerable amount of experience that helps them in the future.
As scuba divers are trained and certified from reputed institutes, they possess adequate skills and knowledge about the various aspects of scuba diving.
By: Steve Valentino
Posts Tagged ‘Diving Instructor’
Scuba Diving Jobs
April 14th, 2010Discover Scuba Diving; Some Advice to Get a Good First Dive Experience!
March 18th, 2010
Millions of people have become certified divers, but for many there is some fear that keeps them from becoming scuba divers. We all tend to take imagined fears to new things with us, and until we actually experience it we will be afraid, this is why scuba diving certifying agencies provide the “Discover Scuba Diving” or “Try dive” sometimes it is called a “Resort dive” programs, so that you can experience scuba diving in a very controlled atmosphere, and if it is something that you enjoy, most dive certification agencies will count the first experience towards their open water certifications. Some people like to do just the try dives and never get a certification, and fair enough, for a few people it was fun, but they are content with just the one experience.
The most important thing for most people is that they feel safe and confident with their scuba diving instructor. As in any endeavor, with a good teacher the subject will seem very simple. For the basic try dive, or resort dive “DSD” there are a few basic skills combined with an underwater tour that you will accomplish during your Discover Scuba Diving Experience, at all times, the instructor will be with you, often times they or their assistant will be holding on to you for added control.
The next most important thing for beginners is good equipment. For an experience scuba diver they have heard and know from experience that little bubbles is no troubles, for a someone doing their first Discover Scuba Diving experience these bubble sound like Darth Vader coming for them on a bad hair day, especially if it is from the tank valve or the over relieve valve on the scuba jacket, called a “BCD”, both of these are located right behind your ear, so the sound seems very loud. Even well maintained equipment will develop little air leaks from time to time, and for the over pressure relieve valve, nothing is wrong, the valve is doing what it is suppose to do, which is to vent off excessive air from the “BCD” to prevent damage to the dive equipment when it has been overfilled.
Most shops will repair the leaks as soon as they are aware of it. Most dive operations will carry spare gear just in case they have a problem and with “DSD’s” or any diver they will quickly replace the gear that needs servicing, in order to keep the new diver calm and receptive to the life changing experience that they are soon to partake in.
The size of the group, or more importantly the number of divers to an instructor-assistant will also make a huge impact. When you have smaller groups the instructor can spend extra time with the students, this is very important if you have a someone who is having difficulty with a particular skill, sometimes dive schools and individual instructors will have a dive master work with them with bigger groups, and they will have the dive master take the diver that is having problems with a particular skill to the side, and work with them until they are proficient with the skill, and then join back in with the rest of the class. I would strongly suggest that you ask what the student to instructor/dive master ratio is, and seek a group of no more than a 4 to 1 ratio. Hope to see you underwater soon!
Look for the next article what to expect during your Discover Scuba Diving Experience.
By: Fred Tittle
