Further Training/C-Card Statistics

[leapfrog]

I hope this hasn't been asked before. My Question: What percentage of OW Divers go on to do AOWD? What percentage of AOWD go on to to do Rescue? What percentage of those go on to MSD and/or Divemaster? How many Divemasters become Instructors and how do the percentages for instructors "narrow" up to Course Director/ Instructor Trainer through MSDT/IDCS/MI?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

What makes you think any of us know the answers to those questions?

Someone would have to do a lot of work to come up with questionable results.

 

[Walter]

No one knows the answers to those questions.

 

[Rhone Man]

There are some useful statistics on the PADI site. With a bit of extrapolation you could work out some of your answers from the data there, but not all. I assume PADI is probably representative of the others, but who really knows.

 

[SailNaked]

I think it is the same statistical progression of how many kids play football, how many play high school football, how many play college, and how many play in the NFL. so just check out those stats, and then reduce the numbers by about 90% and add an error factor of about 5%.
or maybe if we calculate it in reverse then on my last dive trip there were one dive instructor two DMs and 2 Rescue divers and about 20 OWs so then we assume all Rescue divers go on to be DMs but only 1 in 10 OW go to rescue, and apparently no one ever takes AOW. of course you can always just ask PADI they would know much better than me, since I know nothing. Why did you want to know again?

 

[leapfrog]

Halemano, Walter, Rhone Man....Looks like it's a pretty good question then! Rhone Man, where are those statistics and on which PADI Webpage?

 

[Rhone Man]

Here you go - they don't break it down for you so you will need to do the maths yourself.

PADI Statistics

They also give an e-mail address, so you might be able to persuade some nice person at PADI to give you more exact figures.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Halemano, Walter, Rhone Man....Looks like it's a pretty good question then! Rhone Man, where are those statistics and on which PADI Webpage?

If God is ALL POWERFUL, can he make a rock that is so large he himself can not lift it?

That's a pretty good question too!

 

[Trace Malinowski]

The statistics in which I would be interested are:

1. What percentage of divers sought additional training because they intuitively felt something was lacking in their training or they didn't feel adequately prepared and hoped the next level would remedy that feeling?

2. What percentage of divers taking further training believed that the education would be lacking in their course, but did a class just to get a C-card so they could get nitrox, do advanced dives, etc?

3. What percentage of divers were sold the idea of "going pro," but deep down believed their skills and experience didn't merit it?

4. What percentage of divers went "pro" within 1 year of initial OW cert? 2 years? 3 years? 4 years? 5 years? 6? 7? 8? 9? 10 or more?

5. What percentage of divers felt extremely challenged by their courses?

6. What percentage of divers want "quick and easy" over "longer and harder" training?

7. What percentage of divers didn't feel comfortable in the water until DM and instructor levels?

8. What percentage of divers still don't feel comfortable at these levels?

9. By what recreational course do most divers believe they are "real" divers?

10. What percentage of divers took technical training to fix gaps in recreational training rather than because they wanted to dive at the technical level?

Agencies rarely report or accurately report certification data. It is my experience, as an industry insider, that numbers are fluffed to give the appearance of greater success when they are presented. Agencies or instructors with higher standards also have higher failure rates for advanced training. More divers would go on to the next level, but wouldn't be certified. Money is in the instructor's pocket, but no C-card has been issued. I still have divers working on AOW and Intro To Tech passes. Statistics are often crafted to support the success and growth of a declining industry and what may seem like growth might really be a decline if compared to diving's yester-years.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Trace, you are I think getting at the heart of the matter.

Today's recreational training is often lacking. In instances where the training is excellent it is almost always due to an individual instructor rather than to high agency standards as I believe most play to the lowest common denominator in an effort to get more people certified to feed the dive travel industry rather than to produce divers who can independently plan and conduct their own dives.

I also think you are correct that the appeal of technical training is in many cases just to find training that is challenging and produces meaningful levels of skill.

I also have a very negative reaction to the use of the term "pro" as it relates to DMs and Instructors and I get a little queasy when I read most of the "should I go pro?" threads as 90% of the time the answer clearly should be "no" as the divers in question usually lack the experience, judgment or attitude needed to truly be considered ready to be a professional.