History of Diver Training

[Thalassamania]

Everyone who worked their way up to team leader got a free ITC the summer after they left the program. In order to lower staffing costs for the diving program I ran a open ITC program, staffed by select Instructors in the region, plus a few that we flew in.

There were typically four to six of my people and four to twenty outside candidates. While I say that I worked with them for at least 12 days, I only remember two cases were someone blew in just for the ITC. In most cases we tied up about half of the weekends in the spring with a two weekend Master Diver Academics program (providing everything needed to pass the written exams, and more. Open water work was optional), a two weekend Instructor Prep Course (took care of the leadership stuff, agency bumph, water skills) a weekend Advanced Rescue Program and a weekend Oxygen Administration Program and another for Pro Rescuer CPR/First Aid. This was back when the only prerequisite for an ITC was Basic CPR/First Aid and Lifesaving. So we had a pretty good look at all the candidates, along with a chance to work closely and back-fill any deficiencies.

 

[DCBC]

The only time I've trained instructors over a longer period was when I had my commercial school in Vancouver. It was a registered trade school, so students could receive student loans. I had developed a one year recreational diving instructor's program which was approved by the Department of Education. It addressed pretty much all of aspects of the industry: in-water skills, diving instruction, first-aid / CPR / O2 instructor certification, equipment sales / service, inventory management / accounting, staff management, vessel navigation / operation, small engine maintenance, compressor operation / maintenance and familiarization with other equipment such as CCR, and FFM & comms. It covered a number of specialties and also included a section on chamber operation and gas mixing.

Class size was limited to four. The course ran five days per week with diving in the evening and on the weekends. New courses were started every 3 months. The students were totally immersed and were kept pretty busy. The program wasn't very profitable, but I think it turned out some good people.