Great video Bryan...I'm currently doing my Divemaster course in Phuket, Thailand 🇹🇭

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Jonnie Bangkok, glad you liked the video. Its great to hear when one of our viewers decide to take the leap into professional scuba. Being in a position where you can share your passion and knowledge of scuba diving is one of the greatest things about being a dive professional.

It’s winter time - time for ice diving 😊🥶😊 Come to Switzerland

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Oskar Mayer, I would love to come dive Switzerland.

As a current Dive pro I think something that gets swept under the rug when talking about becoming a dive pro with prospective students is the reality of working as a dive pro. Most people have this dream like idea of teaching SCUBA full time and being able to support themselves comfortably and dive all the time. It really should be addressed to prospective students that the reality is dive pros make very little money, annual agency and insurance fees are expensive, most people do it as a side hustle on top of their regular full-time job, and that Diving in the role of a dive pro is in no way like Diving as a recreational diver. Whether you’re a DM or an instructor your responsibility for other divers makes you more or less a babysitter. It’s definitely a lot of fun and it has its moments but it’s a lot of work for very little money and that’s some thing that I think needs to be made more upfront in general to perspective Dive Pros

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Miles R, thankfully, we have had a different experience then the one you have mentioned. Just like any industry, the investment a dive professional puts into his or her career will dictate the return. I have never felt like I was just a babysitter to newer divers, but more so of a mentor. The pay, or return a dive professional earns will always be based off thier geographical location and the need of professionals in that area. An inland shop like ours, who train a respectful number of divers a year, can fully employee up to a certain number of dive professionals. This includes both full and part time professionals. The ones that choose to stay part time, do so on their on. Here at Lake Hickory Scuba, we have always paid a premium wage to our professionals. The thing that a lot of newer Divemasters and Instructors fail to realize is, you have to have more than just great teaching abilities to become and remain successful in this industry. You have to be willing to grow with the industry and not get caught up on specific philosophies. You also have to be willing to think and work outside the box. You can't let gear biased dictate where you teach, or what you teach. The biggest failure I see with non successful Instructors is, they make it all about them and not the students. All these things combined is what makes a dive professional successful.

Im taking my SSI clsasss now. Already finished the academic now im doing the pool sessions can't wait to get certified👌👌😁😁. My training center is Mac's Sports in Clearwater 😁

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Zakaria600, we hope you do well on your Open Water Program. Diving will be life long adventure for you.

What made you go SSI over SDI, NAUI, PADI?

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

Hello souswes, great question. Over the course of my career, I have been a PADI Master Scuba Diving Trainer, a PDIC Instructor Trainer, a SEI Instructor Trainer, and a CMAS 3 Star Course Director. I have also done multiple crossovers for other training agencies as well including TDI, SDI, and ERDI, but chose not to go active with them for business related reasons. I crossed over to SSI in 2014, and have never looked backed. The freedom I get in how I teach is one of the flexibilties I really enjoy about SSI, not to mention the unmatched support I get from SSI as well. Our annual renewal cost is pocket change with SSI compared to the other agencies I have taught through. Lastly, I really enjoy the resources SSI provides to its Instructors to make teaching and educating newer divers easier and safer.

OK. Love your channel by the way, here by way of DiveTalk. I live in Texas and am looking for OW class and instruction.👏🏽😀

@divemasterdavid595

2 жыл бұрын

Dharma Renee what part of Texas are you in?

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

Hello dharma renee, if you will head over to divessi.com, you can find a shop that is local to you. If you have any issues, feel free to give us a call, and we can help you find a local shop.

I think your video was more inspiring then the one that SSI has. 😁. But I do love the App. It is extremely easy to use and their learning platform is really good. Love my local shop and the owners are great mentors. I can tell you are one as well.

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Ramy, thank you for the kind words. We love the MySSI App as well.

What does the NAUI MASTER SCUBA DIVER cert transfer to in SSI?

@LakeHickoryScuba

7 ай бұрын

Hello @roninvalhalla2605, that is a great question. SSI will count any an all non professional rating you already have as equivalents.

What are the pros and cons of SSI vs PADI at the instruction level? I’m currently PADI AOW certified, and will continue with Rescue next dive season - Alberta definitely limits my ability to dive in open waters. Eventually I plan to go dm, and one of our shops here is SSI, so I’d consider them over PADI if the pros of SSI outweigh PADI. Thanks

@LakeHickoryScuba

5 ай бұрын

Hello @skirblah, that is a great question. Thankfully, I have been with both training agencies for many years. Disclaimer, I let my PADI Instructor ratings go about 5 years ago, and I am strictly with SSI. The biggest difference that I noted in my career is the cost, and flexibility. PADI by far is way more expensive at renewal times, but offers more flexibility on why you can teach. PADI still allows independent Instructors, where SSI requires the Instructor to be affiliated with an SSI facility. At the same time, SSI has the Flexibility Teaching Rule, which allows Instructors to teach their own methods with in standards, vs PADI having a set way Instructors are required to teach. At the end of the day, I chose SSI for business purposes, as not only am I an Instructor Trainer, I am also a shop owner. As far as the information and skill sets, both agencies teach the same thing. Hope this helps.

Do you have to train/certify so many divers a year?

@Raybrienza

2 жыл бұрын

No you do not have to certify anybody per year. I am an SSI Instructor for 35+ years. I also teach SDI/TDI

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Ivory Johnson, as Ray Brienza has stated, at the Open Water Instructor level, there is not a requirement for a set number of students. However, at the Instructor Trainer level, I am required to teach a set amount of courses per year.

@ivoryjohnson4662

2 жыл бұрын

@@LakeHickoryScuba I am not really into teaching everyone and anyone but I would like to help the disadvantaged or special needs

@LakeHickoryScuba

2 жыл бұрын

A great option there is to become an Open Water Instructor and a Classified Diving Specialty Instructor.