We find as a dive school and individually as dive professionals that having DMTs around creates a fantastic atmosphere for everyone involve. From the management and employees all the way through to the customers. At Sairee Cottage, we pride ourselves on the quality of professional training on offer, going above and beyond the criteria to become a dive professional. Offering the education in combination with top of the range facilities to mould and sculpture individuals into fantastic dive leaders. The best evidence of this is that the diving professionals who are now employed at the school, have all been trained and served our “apprenticeship” before going on to be employed here. Off the top of my head, there are now 7 dive crew members employed who were all educated through the company. Testament, surely, to the way that the operation has been run over the last few years…
An introduction to the recent and current DMTs…
Chloe (Eire), Dave (U.S.A), Dave & Beccy (England), Heidi (Finland), Adriana (U.S.A), & Monique (Australia)
Students from a variety of nations have joined us to train over the last few months, this contributes to the camaraderie and atmosphere around the dive school.
At the beginning of training the DMTs are given an orientation into Sairee Cottage as a whole. What is expected of them and what they should expect of us. A clear structure of education for the coming 4-6 weeks. Most importantly, a welcome to the team. Although as a DMT you are still a customer of Sairee Cottage, we prefer that you regard yourself as a member of the dive crew. The Family. Make you feel welcome and importantly make you aware that the next few weeks in your life is going to be full of challenging but FUN activities. Many approach the course with a little trepidation, thinking that they are going back to school, back to the classroom, back to a month of education. Becoming a DMT is quite a bit different. It’s more of an internship. A mix of theory and practical (in the water) work… The course is designed so that students can look in from the outside and learn from the people who have done so well to learn before them.
I found that when I took part in the DMT programme, I watched all the instructors like a hawk for weeks, taking bits of teaching that I liked from several of them. In the end, you mould yourself into an individual from all your past and continuing experiences…You become your own dive pro…
Myself, Neil & Sarah are the mentors for the group of DMTs and we decided that we would press on early with the theory side of the programme. The candidates were given manageable deadlines to meet for classroom study guide reviews and they also took part in weekly lectures on physiology, physics, decompression theory and equipment… All these combined give the candidates the knowledge they require to sit the necessary written exams and pass them with flying colours!!! Getting the theory side of the programme out of the way early on in the course allowed the group a better chance to relax a little bit during the latter weeks of the course… Giving them time to concentrate on in the water work, be that assisting on courses to completing swim tests and deep dives (all a requirement of the programme) to just being able to go out as a group whenever they liked and fun dive, watching and learning from our dive leaders Gaz & Shaun. The way the course has been run seems to suit those involved…
A few stories about the Candidates
Firstly Chloe, a lovely Irish girl who came over on a break from nursing to fulfil her dream to become a dive pro. Incredibly kind and helpful to everyone on the dive team she shone during her training. Gaz, Shaun and Gal our dive leaders often pointed out that she made their life a lot easier on and off the boat with organization and cleaning of equipment… Typically Irish, her snorkel test bucket disappeared in seconds and an epic two day bender commenced!!! Respect!! Since then Chloe has returned to Ireland to pursue her career in Nursing…Best of luck and I suspect that she will be back again to visit!!!
[singlepic id=362 w=320 h=240 float=right]Disco Dave (U.S.A) a former “frat” boy in American education. I was told by Nat an American freelance instructor that he would be good fun just because of this. Aptly named Disco Dave for his shocking dance moves down at Lotus bar. He was also a great help to the team on courses and valuable for atmosphere around the shop. Disco Dave will ALWAYS be remembered for his two beer fines on his final skills circuit and his unbelievable 4m fun dive lead with Neil around Japanese Gardens!!!! Waahahahahaha. Again he took his snorkel test like a champ, although he later admitted that the wasabi sauce included troubled him for hours afterwards…Disco is now continuing his travels before heading back to the American Military… All the best Disco! [singlepic id=358 w=320 h=240 float=left]Dave & Beccy, the two PADI DMTs are being described together as a couple because that is exactly what they are… A couple, almost joined at the hip. Very friendly and polite and eager to learn all the hints and tips to become the best they possibly can. With their background of working on super yachts with the rich and famous, Dave & Beccy came to Koh Tao to further improve their employability. Dave being the 2nd Dave of the group was nicknamed Junior early on as a bit of a joke as he is much taller and muscular that Disco… Beccy cracks me up, very polite and well mannered, until she is either hung over or full of coffee. We have had many laughs together during the classroom sessions… Dave & Beccy have still to complete some of the course and their snorkel tests. They are then planning to go back to the super yachts as qualified dive pros…Heidi, Adriana & Monique are being described together as well, as they are rarely seen apart. They are full of fun, laughs and jokes (maybe not after an electrocution!) haha. Always a pleasure to teach and very helpful around the school they are pressing on with their SSI divemaster course, nearly completed, their snorkel tests are to still to follow. That will make for some top value viewing. Heidi & Adriana are perfect examples of how Sairee Cottage prides itself on continuing education . They returned from their respective countries to complete the professional course, having previously completed courses there. To the best of my knowledge they plan to stick around and work in the industry! It’s not a lie when we tell you in the Open Water orientation that scuba diving is highly addictive!!!
In conclusion as you can probably gather, choosing to become a dive professional will change your life forever. I and many others are perfect examples of this…
So why be part of the norm back home? Why settle for something you maybe don’t want to do? Why not change your life forever and become a dive pro and do something you love and are passionate about for a living… Come join the family at Sairee Cottage Diving, Koh Tao, Thailand
Gordon MacBride SSI #56915 PADI #299632
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