Can PADI instructors work from home, thus not related to any dive shop?? opinions pl

[rigdiver]

An independent NAUI Inst can buy the same service contract as a NAUI store. It let's you, the individual, get the same price break on materials as a brick and mortar store.

 

[Rhenry]

From a student perspective I was very happy and pleased with my NAUI certification. My Instructor was independent and that made the difference. I was able to get the added instruction on some key points I had difficulty with. Also the ability to schedule pour times that fit both of our lives was an added benefit. I also went on to take PADI AOW course, it was vastly different. a bit to stuffy for me personally. It was a good course, but some of the material I already had through the NAUI course.
The NAI program is more relaxed and a great experience. The difference is with a store you have store schedules with an independent you have a bit more flexibility. The next course I take will be a NAUI course. It is just makes my life easier when i can schedule a program to fit my time slots!!!!
I will say this PADI has a large presence and its name is more recognizable than NAUI, but the program is about the same. Both agencies have pluses and minuses, I prefer NAUI just because of the flexibility of the program that PADI does not necessarily provide.

 

[Dive Bug Bit Me]

I know one instructor who primarily teaches for SDI and TDI as an independent. He begrudgingly maintains his PADI instructor status because new divers seem to be asking for a PADI piece of plastic at the end of the course.

 

[Swayze]

I teach from both from shops and independently when I have friends that want to learn. I wouldn't at all say that PADI doesn't help their independent instructors. You are still a member of PADI, can call and talk to any department, they have always been really helpful.

On the cost perspective the books/processing fees can be a bit expensive but if you have a pool, or a good agreement to use a pool you'll be fine. Also if you are really trying to do it to make money renting equipment to use while you teach is going to hurt your ability to be competitive. The more you have obviously the cheaper you can offer courses. Just make sure that your insurance covers the use of your equipment during your teaching.

 

[DevonDiver]

I wouldn't at all say that PADI doesn't help their independent instructors.

What help do you think PADI gives independant instructors?

Use of marketing/branding materials? FAIL Only IRRA shops/retailers can use those. Nothing PADI copyright allowed on websites, posters etc

Competitive rates on course materials? FAIL The pricing is geared towards volume and IRRA status. It's usually always cheaper for independant instructors to buy PADI materials from third-party shops, rather than directly from PADI

Ability to list yourself on the PADI website? FAIL Again, that's for IRRA members only

Using ELearning? FAIL Independant instructors 'can' utilise ELearning, but are not allowed to market it on websites. Only IRRA members can. What is the use in that?

Quality Recognition? FAIL There's no system to recognize independant instructors, but IRRA members can get 'National Geographic', 5-Star etc etc


What exactly do independant instructors get from PADI in return for their $180 annual membership payment? Apart from the 'priviledge' of making PADI more money by paying for over-priced course materials/PICs...

Many divers like to joke about the 'Pay Another Dollar In' intrepretation of the PADI logo. This joke (criticism) isn't really valid for PADI students. They get cheap, cheerful courses. The joke (criticism) comes from instructors... and is valid to them.

You are still a member of PADI, can call and talk to any department, they have always been really helpful.

So....for $180 per annum, you get the priviledge of calling them? Whoo-hoh!

On the cost perspective the books/processing fees can be a bit expensive ........

I'm in SE Asia. PADI materials are expensive...they also come from Australia and suffer from the high value of the $AUD. Currently, the cost of a manual/pic makes up over 1/3 of my total course cost.

1/3 of total course cost just to buy the student a manual? That's more than a "bit expensive"....

By the time I've paid for boat spaces and kit, the cost of PADI materials pushes my course costs up to a limit where I am barely profitable. On average, I take home (wages?) about $25 dollars per day, per student. PADI make FAR more money of MY courses than I do. Nice.....

Let's not kid ourselves.... PADI wants to create 'mega-sausage factories' at recreational and professional level. They don't care about small-scale operations, and most certainly have no interest in independant instructors. They don't care about the dedication, competance or capability of the instructor (providing nobody complains or gets killed). They have a business model. There's no loyalty. There's no care. There's only a financial spreadsheet.

If you want to teach friends and family to scuba dive, as a hobby, then there are far more cost effective agencies to go with.

Likewise, if you want to work independantly as an instructor, then PADI will prove to be the least financially attractive option, because of their high costs and non-existent commercial support. The only benefit to PADI is that so many potential customers are attracted by the brand name. In some regions, the market is virtually 100% PADI. It's the McDonalds of scuba diving. Customers get a cheap, quick and non-demanding course that provides the bare rudiments of competence. They get a nice plastic card and are told they are fully trained scuba divers. Opting to not 'go with the flow' in a PADI dominated market may be a non-starter if you need your diving courses to be comptetitive..

 

[oly5050user]

Costs are lower with NAUI. I've had problems trying to get independent PADI instructions because the required materials are expensive and they aren't able to get a good rate on pool time or equipment rental. I've had NAUI instructors willing to do independent courses at competitive prices to dive shop prices, but PADI instructors have to get pretty close to gratis (at least in my experience) if they don't have pool/gear access.

my experience has been different from what you state..for materials, the independent instructor can order from PADI and yes the costs of materials are a bit higher,but not ridiculously higher.Solution to that is have students purchase materials from a facility so that the instructor does not have to get it .
As to pool rates; cost to independent PADI or NAUI or what ever agency and cost to a lds facility the same rates.I have found no difference here in NY, all expensive.Maybe the independent instr should look into the LDS that owns their own pool for time there.Maybe make a deal with them that the student would purchase materials and personal gear from them at a reduced pool time rate... Equipment rental, answer is to get your own gear for classes you wish to teach or rent it.You want to be a independent,so buy the necessary gear to teach ,just as a lds does.It costs a LDS to have gear,why should'nt it cost an independent instructor?
As an indepent I do not include materials in my course.Student must purchase from LDS or online for all I care. As an independent Instr I charge more than what the LDS here do. My time is valuable and I teach private classes as an independent instr usually only 1 or 2 students at a time.
I also teach for a LDS here locally. Brand recognition is important to bring students to you, and PADI being most recognizable does that, but it really does not matter what agency you use.Its up to the instructor to be successful once they get the students.Has absolutely nothing to do with the agency.

 

[John Sinclair]

I can see that apart from the price of materials PADI still offers help for Independent Scuba Instructors, I myself am a PADI instructor and currently working on a model that works well. However Dive Centres can get a little defensive for fear of losing business, when actually collaboration can have a huge impact on both the dive centre and the Independent Scuba Instructor.

 

[Riles2226]

@aqurius, you can absolutely teach PADI independently. In fact, if you teach PADI through a shop, you are still considered independent in many facets. While PADI does have a number of support services geared towards shops and places that turn out larger volume, that just makes business sense...when you buy larger volume, you get larger discounts. Even as an independent instructor, you can buy the materials you need for the classes you are qualified to teach and you get a "Member" price, which is discounted. (There are cheaper prices but you have to be a shop AND you have to sell certain volumes.)

One consideration, if you have a boat, is to become a PADI boat operator as they do have a way you can register as that.

 

[decompression]

@aqurius, you can absolutely teach PADI independently. In fact, if you teach PADI through a shop, you are still considered independent in many facets. While PADI does have a number of support services geared towards shops and places that turn out larger volume, that just makes business sense...when you buy larger volume, you get larger discounts. Even as an independent instructor, you can buy the materials you need for the classes you are qualified to teach and you get a "Member" price, which is discounted. (There are cheaper prices but you have to be a shop AND you have to sell certain volumes.)

One consideration, if you have a boat, is to become a PADI boat operator as they do have a way you can register as that.

Post was 2011.......

 

[abnfrog]

wow long dead post .....people are looking for stuff to do