DM or TEC certification route?

[Simon-]

I don't see it as the same at all.

You can take specialty courses without being AOW. Some course do have a definite pre-requisite. GUE has a definite pre-requisite for ALL courses (except 1).

Would it be fair to say to someone that they can't do a Wreck course because they haven't done Enriched Air, even though it would be advantageous?

Let's not have this degenerate into a "PADI this" and "GUE that" or "TDI the other" thread

 

[nimoh]

I don't see it as the same at all.

You can take specialty courses without being AOW. Some course do have a definite pre-requisite. GUE has a definite pre-requisite for ALL courses (except 1).

Would it be fair to say to someone that they can't do a Wreck course because they haven't done Enriched Air, even though it would be advantageous?

so are you saying that the skills taught in GUE Fundamentals are not necessary for technical diving, just advantageous?

Fundamentals is not required for GUE Rec classes

 

[Simon-]

so are you saying that the skills taught in GUE Fundamentals are not necessary for technical diving, just advantageous?

Fundamentals is not required for GUE Rec classes

You could paraphrase it like that if you want to. I haven't done fundies, yet I am a trimix diver and Tec Instructor.....strange

Incidently, I did say that fundies wasn't required for Rec 1

A prerequisite for all GUE classes, save Recreational Diver level 1 course

 

[overseas]

simon, i get the point now, sorry if i missed that with my 1st reading...
actually i find it a good thing to do some fundamentals for improved buoyancy & trim & most importantly to gain some confidence before stepping up with the task loading.
that said, yes, it is definitely not a cheap route to take.

 

[nimoh]

You could paraphrase it like that if you want to. I haven't done fundies, yet I am a trimix diver and Tec Instructor.....strange

Incidently, I did say that fundies wasn't required for Rec 1

A prerequisite for all GUE classes, save Recreational Diver level 1 course

Fundamentals is also not a requirement for Recreational Diver Level 3 - Trimix Diver (among others)

 

[Simon-]

My bold is from the GUE website. Maybe that needs updating

 

[Mustard Dave]

I also had to take AOW before learning rescue skills in the Rescue Diver class from PADI

This is an arse-about-face way of doing things in my eyes. The Rescue Diver course is probably the best of all the recreational courses they offer. Rescue skills are an important skill for any diver to have, and it also gives divers a massive confidence boost as well as better buddy skills. AOW is effectively a series of experience dives that gives you a ticket to 30 metres. It makes more sense to me to teach the courses the other way around.

 

[nimoh]

My bold is from the GUE website. Maybe that needs updating

just took a look, and you're right, it probably needs updating, I am guessing that statement was intended to refer to non-rec classes. The Rec program is still fairly new, there are probably a lot of updates needed

---------- Post added December 4th, 2012 at 12:43 PM ----------

This is an arse-about-face way of doing things in my eyes. The Rescue Diver course is probably the best of all the recreational courses they offer. Rescue skills are an important skill for any diver to have, and it also gives divers a massive confidence boost as well as better buddy skills. AOW is effectively a series of experience dives that gives you a ticket to 30 metres. It makes more sense to me to teach the courses the other way around.

yes, I agree, and was specifically why I chose it for my example

 

[rlynch]

<diclaimer, i have not read all the thread so this is intended for the OP>

As someone whom has just completed PADI DM, GUE Fundies - Tech, IANTD Adv, Nitrox, Cavern and Intro to cave Certifications recently. Here are my observations


PADI DM Program: Very good and is geared at the following; Diver supervision, Skill demonstration, Group control, and Dive and Dive business theory. Most of the students in our class did not have a large number of dives or any tec training whatsoever. This is not geared at getting you into tec or making you a better diver. It is geared at making you into a better assistant/ dive leader which i feel are seperate things.

GUE Fundies Tec level pass: Personal skills development to a very high level for the "basics" that you need in order to be safe and sucessful as a tec diver. This is a foundational level course which in a very different way can be has hard as the entire DM program. The standards of performance are very high, for the right reasons.

IANTD: These are a breeze if you have done fundies, and that is what you want to do.

Fundimentally DM and any Tec programs are totally different end goals you have to decided what you want to do.
In my case it was both and a few side branches to see some other agencies practices and decide for my self which direction i wanted to head.

That said i have 3 classes lined up in 2013; Finish Normoxic with IANTD, PADI IDC, and a GUE tech level class (either cave 1 or Tech 1, i'll take both eventually but only 1 next year)

 

[overseas]

...this is getting rather exciting, i should have posted the dilemma earlier, it would have given me more time to consider all the parameters...
to rlynch: totally my view & this is why i thought i'd get the intro tec (or tec40 call it as you may) first (because of the wintertime in the med also),
then jump onto the dm train; more than one directions is definitely what i wish to pursue, however skill basics must be there...