Choosing the RIGHT dive centre to do your Divemaster internship

So you’ve finally decided to take your passion for diving to the next level by beginning to climb up the professional ladder of scuba diving and become a PADI Divemaster!

You feel it in your gut that you want to become a Divemaster, but the difficult decision lies in where you should do it and how do you do it. Blue Season Bali is a Bali based dive centre that provides the island’s most distinguished PADI Divemaster Internships and PADI Instructor Internships. We are an award winning PADI Career Development Centre ready to offer quality professional scuba internships in one of the best diving locations in the world, Bali.

Our blog article this week covers our top tricks in choosing the right dive centre for your PADI Divemaster internship.

Location, location, location

During your internship, expect to be spending a lot of time in one place. So make a wise decision to select a destination you know you will enjoy!

It is common for many people to choose to go abroad for their internship, either to seek new experiences or because diving isn’t a very popular sport in their home country. Do your research about the location, its weather conditions, water temperatures, languages spoken, and the culture. And don’t forget, the most important factor: does the area support the type of diving you love? Whether it’s underwater photography or wreck diving, make sure you’re enjoying every minute of it!

The dive centre

Once you have set your heart on a desired location, whether it’s a country, town or island, it’s time to weigh up and compare the shops in that location.

If you’re going somewhere you’ve been before for a diving expedition, it is likely you may have already picked up a preference for a dive shop or centre. In this case, it may be wise to ring them directly and ask if they provide PADI’s Divemaster course. If you’re going out of your comfort zone to some place new, take a look at the locations most popular and reliable dive centre’s and shops and what courses they offer. Tripadvisor ratings and comments on the dive centre/ shop’s Facebook or website page is always helpful.

Contact

A sensible way to approach this is to send out some emails to a variety of dive centre’s where you plan to travel, and let them know you are interested in PADI’s Divemaster internship (if they have it).

Their response can give you a heads up on how organised and professional the centre or shop is. This also lets you know if there are any “hidden” requirements prepared by them such as “Divemaster trainees are not to have any tattoos on show”. It’s rare but prepare yourself in every way possible before flying abroad.

What to expect

All PADI Divemaster internships are the same yet different. Same theory and classroom activities, a whole different experience.

It can vary to the point no amount of questions will really prepare us for the reality of it. Try to find out as much as you can about how long you will be spending at the shop or centre and how much time you will be spending underwater. Other questions include:

• Will accommodation be provided?
• Are you expected to interact with customers of the dive centres/ shops?
• Will you get days off?

Of course only ask them questions that will ensure what you will be expecting when you get to the location.

Pricing

Nothing in life comes for free, yet alone cheap. Try to avoid the mentality of doing your Divemaster internship cheap.

If you’ve spotted a dive centre or shop desperately enticing Divemaster interns with complimentary meals, accommodation, or even free courses, ask yourself why no one has chosen to pay to get cerified as a professional with them. These ploys are generally aimed to get interns who are capable of working longer and harder, effectively giving the shop free labour while the quality of teaching is low. The general rule of thumb is this longer your internship, the less you will pay, and the more experience you’ll gain! If you’re on a budget, it’s wiser to double-check the dive location you plan to do your PADI Divemaster Internship in. Factor in:

• Rent
• Food
• Overall cost of living in the country, town, or island
• Equipment needed
• Insurance

PADI’s Divemaster Internship isn’t supposed to be as easy as a walk in the park. It is a lot of hard work, but very fun and enjoyable if you love what you’re doing. You can be guaranteed that everyday won’t be the same, and last minute changes to be the norm. Blue Seasons Bali is an award winning PADI Career Development Centre ready to help you achieve your dreams. Find out about the life you’ll be living with us here!