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My new career as a Dive Instructor
After graduating from university in 2006 I spent two years working as a retail manager before I realized that the corporate lifestyle might not be me - for the moment at least.
I needed an adventure, so I left home bound for Australia to become a diving instructor.
As you can imagine, my mind was running away with itself, what's its going to be like, will I enjoy it and what if I fail ???
The Flying Fish team had arranged my accommodation at their self-catering apartments at Queenscliff, which is at the north end of Manly Beach, about a five minute walk from the surf club. I had a few days off before my course started, which gave me the opportunity to settle in and scope out my new surroundings and find the dive center where I was about to spend most of my time! The Pro Dive facility was a fantastic place with staff which I can only describe as a diving family.
My apartment at Queenscliff - a five minute walk from the surf club
The course kicked off with refreshing my skills and knocking out any bad habits I may have acquired - when it comes to diving that is! As the course progressed so did the workload and an ever growing pile of dive books, but the staff were always there to lend a hand.
Apart from learning the the course requirements, I gained from the experience of all the diving instructors, which I later learned would put me in good stead for the future.
There were stressful times, long nights of reading and learning materials, skills to practice and perfect diving pretty much every day, no matter the weather conditions or sea state. I had some amazing times and had many firsts - there is a whole other world under the ocean, seeing weedy sea-dragons, huge bull rays, and the list just goes on and on.
There were also some harder times when I just wanted to go to bed for a day or two but no we need to battle through, there's work to be done!
The course was now nearing then end, soon I would be an instructor (hopefully) just one more hurdle to get over, the PADI Instructor Exam. With the final challenge coming ever closer, my confidence grew as the knowledge that I picked up along the way all started to come together. With the course came mock exams and lots of practice so I knew that I had the knowledge and experience to get me through my exam.
The Instructor Exam was a nerve shattering three days where I was testec on my knowledge and skills. The six of us worked our way through the exams and assessments, finally the last exam had finished and I passed. We all passed, celebrations were in order. Sadly these celebrations were sort lived as I believe I was in bed by 9:30pm, exhausted not only from the last three days but the last three months!
After the exam, there was no stopping, straight into the Instructor upgrade where I was taught how to run all the courses within a time frame, and to teach in a way to suit the commercial demands of a dive centre.
Once I completed the course Pro Dive offered me a job, so I was using my skills in the real world. This was a very exciting time! The more I taught the more I learned, every class was a learning experience. The teaching was great fun, getting to meet new people all the time and watching them develop from your tuition, it was a very rewarding feeling.
As time moved on I thought it was time to spread the wings and leave the nest. I headed north up into Queensland, Airlie Beach to be more precise. I got a job straight away due to the experience I had obtained at Pro Dive and all its staff. I was offered a job as a Diving Instructor on a 90 foot maxi, sailing around the Whitsunday Islands and to the outer reef of the Great Barrier Reef. Sweet!
Diving Instructor on a 90ft Maxi
My life is now taking backpackers on three day/night sailing trips around the Whitsunday Islands, where we get to dive in places that were only accessible by overnight boat.
I am being paid to do this, runs through my mind each day! I am working with an awesome crew which made the adventurers even more fun and exciting. I have succeeded in joining my previous passion of sailing, with my newly acquired diving skills.
All in all, I've had a fantastic experience so far, not just learning to become a Dive Instructor but also using these skills to travel around Australia. It's allowed me to meet hundreds of new friends and knowing that I have the skills that can be used anywhere in the world has given me fantastic freedom to work anywhere.
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