Do you need to be an instructor to own a dive shop?

[MDImike]

I too, am not an instructor, but own a dive center here in Alexandria, Egypt. Will be doing my PADI IDC in next few months. However, in the meantime I maintain a staff of DM's and Instructors with current certifications and provide insurance coverage for them as part of their employment package. I strongly recommend that any dive center owner be entirely familiar and up-to-date with the instructor manuals for any and all dive services offered, be it PADI, NAUI, CMAS, BSAC, HSA, etc., as part of quality control process.

MDImike
Master Divers International - Alexandria, Egypt's North Coast Dive Center
www.alexandriawreckdivers.com (forum)

 

[scubadale]

If you found that out through PADI and NAUI, then I find it believable. Even if his status is "revoked" by either PADI or NAUI, I find it hard to believe that they would reveal it to you.

Here is the NAUI link: NAUI Worldwide :: Quality Assurance

 

[divebunny13]

Thanks to everyone for the replies! We knew that his PADI status got revoked (the rumor here is for treasure hunting but that could JUST be a rumor) but he has always represented himself as a NAUI instructor and we found the NAUI QA board and saw that he was revoked on there too. If I remember from the IDC correctly, I think that PADI lists all the revoked instructors in the Undersea Journal or somewhere like that. It is DEFINITELY public knowledge. I am an employee of the shop but I have seen some things in the internship program that they run that I am not particularly happy with so I am jumping ship...I don't want one of their QA's to come back on me.

 

[stimpy4242]

I would say I would prefer that an owner be a good business person first, before they were an instructor. I almost think that sometimes intructors may not be the best owners, unless they fall into the category I just said. Its more than just about instruction, its about commerce and now e-commerce, marketing, financing, business planning, and instruction...

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Thanks to everyone for the replies! We knew that his PADI status got revoked (the rumor here is for treasure hunting but that could JUST be a rumor) but he has always represented himself as a NAUI instructor and we found the NAUI QA board and saw that he was revoked on there too. If I remember from the IDC correctly, I think that PADI lists all the revoked instructors in the Undersea Journal or somewhere like that. It is DEFINITELY public knowledge. I am an employee of the shop but I have seen some things in the internship program that they run that I am not particularly happy with so I am jumping ship...I don't want one of their QA's to come back on me.

It's not likely that instructor status would be yanked for treasure hunting.

 

[manzanillo diver]

mmmmmm....

 

[gnwes]

mmmmmm....

 

[tfsails]

I would think the only prerequisite for owing a dive shop is less-than-total sanity and a huge set of cojones. I admire anyone who has the guts to own a dive shop.

 

[nereas]

No one mentioned that several dive shop owners are retired instructors as well.

I also know of one D/M who owns a dive shop, who employs several instructors on his staff, which I find to be rather unusual. But I imagine he will simply complete an IDC/ITC at some point soon.

Being expelled from a training agency seems serious to me. It is quite easy to let your status become inactive instead. Whereas expulsion requires some kind of prohibited overt act. Sexual harassment of students or staff comes to mind, as well as failing to issue C-cards on a timely basis; someplace I read that those were the top 2 reasons.

But it looks like this issue is moot, with the O/P and her now-former boss on all fours together with this question.

 

[nitroxnut]

The process to have instructor certification revocation occur, at least thru the PADI system is not complex and can be done in short order if the violations are gregious enough. That in itself will have no bearing on your ability to own/operate a dive center. IT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST to be a certified instructor, regardless the agency so as a business owner you have an absolute understanding of teaching scuba and you yourself can evaluate the instructors you bring on board to assist you in your education program. Can be difficult with smoke being blown up your you know what and you not have an idea what it is when trying to run the business side of things. Instructors can easily make or break your business, depending on quality and experience. you having knowledge and "being one" is an invaluable tool. Before you buy, research and see what kind of damage to the core essentials of the business side occurred with the revocations. Aside from safety violations and health and welfare issues, which typically are the core revocation issues one would have to really bomb customer service terribly bad for that to even come into play. Take a deep look at the business side before forking over your purse on this one. May want to hire an outside source to do your unbiased investigating.