DevonDiver
N/A
Did you recognize that almost everything I pointed out for teaching is required by law, something that does not exist for scuba? Do you realize that this limits what agencies can do in terms of regulation?
Well, PADI have always advocated self-regulation within the scuba industry. So...where is that self-regulation? It seems to have been abandoned... because, as you say, the agency/ies aren't taking responsibility for it. And if/when the community raise issues, there always seem to be an element that wishes to brand them as naysayers...
So,... who/when/how/where is that regulation occurring? Or isn't it?
Do you have any idea what it would cost to implement such a system for scuba?
John, I don't know. I guess it's a profit-margin thing for the agency/ies. At the moment, they seem very used to low expenditure and high income.
Do you have any idea what it would cost the scuba industry to match the cost of the public education system, a system which apparently does not do any better to produce quality teachers?
Well, I don't think the size of the scuba industry 'quite' matches the public education system. Neither do I think the scope of scuba education 'quite' matches the public education system. So, I don't think the costs or requirements would equate at all...
But, in principle, much, much, much more could be done...
"2) Anger "It's not our problem, we did everything we could!"...."
---------- Post added December 20th, 2013 at 10:45 AM ----------
There are quite a few affluent people in Melbourne, pehaps they would pay that much for private instruction??
I went freelance/independent a few years ago. It works with specialized course (sidemount/tech/wreck) because people tend to become more aware of the need for expertise instruction at those levels. I sell enough of those courses, at sufficient cost, to maintain a humble income that allows me to live and maintain my passion for diving instruction.
I did continue offering 'private' recreational-level classes for a few years - but the cost implications, couple with lack of consumer awareness of the benefits, meant little or no demand for that training. At Open Water level, where the same 'c-card' is issued regardless of quality of training, there just isn't much scope to charge more - especially in vacation-focused markets where the competitor dive operations can offset very cheap courses through alternative revenue streams.
Websites and 'consumer education' are largely irrelevant, because most people booking for dive courses are "walk-ins" at dive centers and/or just book directly through a dive center/resort where they are staying anyway. Very few vacationers go online to do any research whatsoever before, or during, their vacation.
In my area, most dive centers are resorts. They can significantly cut course costs because they recoup profit from selling hotel rooms, meals, drinks at the bar etc etc. They can also employ instructors willing to 'work for the experience' and peanuts. They can also deliver courses to bare-minimum requirements - a factor that 99% of vacationing students are oblivious too... and don't care about because they still "get their diving license", but spend 50% less in doing so...
...and then we consider how PADI price their materials: big discounts for the bulk-selling IRRA member resorts/centers. Max price for the small-scale freelancers etc.
...and then we consider that there aren't 'dive charter' boats... the only dive boats are those run by dive centers/resorts. And guess what, they aren't hugely agreeable to offering cut-price spaces on their boats to their competitors... go figure that....
Pete seems unaware of those cost implications and realities... because 'in his world' everywhere functions like the Keys...