History of Diver Training

[Cave Diver]

So your saying that because Society has bred a bunch of wimps, [-]we should make life easy for them.[/-] they expect things to be made easier for them, so as a result business models have had to adapt to follow the consumer demand.

Not quite, but I corrected it.

Training agencies are not solely to blame for any perceived decline in standards. Ease and accessibility to dive sites has played a part. As you've pointed out, dive training included pretty rigorous physical requirements. Now we have several agencies that cater solely to people with disabilities. (and no, that is not intended as a slam against any of those agencies, it's merely pointing out their existence). Got a bad back? No worries, our friendly dive master will carry your tank to the boat, set your gear up and push you backward into the water. 30 years ago that was unlikely to happen, because diving was mostly for young, fit, men. Have a hard time swimming? No problem, there are a variety of underwater scooters you can choose from. People no longer have to be fit and in some cases agencies might face more liability by not training someone and getting hit with a discrimination suit.

Our (societies) desire to make things easier has affected our perceptions of things. Now everything needs to be "accessible."

IMO, the current trends in dive training is a reflection of the demands of today's society.

 

[Walter]

Training agencies are not solely to blame for any perceived decline in standards.

Not solely, unethical instructors have played their parts as well. Most of the blame goes to the agencies who have participated.

 

[Diver0001]

I remember when you had to work for something to achieve it. SCUBA diving use to be like that as well.

Well thank God some things have changed for the better.

Scuba diving is an easy going sport and it's fun. There's no reason why the training can't be easy going and fun too..... as long as the training is performance based and takes all the time the student needs then there's no reason to make it all heavy and difficult.

Heavy and difficult is for the army. Scuba trainers who still try to make their courses like "basic training" really are dinosaurs, imho.

I hope I'm not the only one shaking my head at seeing the word "wimps" in a thread about diver training....

R..

 

[Cave Diver]

I hope I'm not the only one shaking my head at seeing the word "wimps" in a thread about diver training....

R..

Embrace your inner wimp.

 

[DCBC]

People no longer have to be fit and in some cases agencies might face more liability by not training someone and getting hit with a discrimination suit.

Our (societies) desire to make things easier has affected our perceptions of things. Now everything needs to be "accessible."

IMO, the current trends in dive training is a reflection of the demands of today's society.

Because your children want something, doesn't mean that you should give it to them. Because people want to steal from you, doesn't mean you allow them to.

As a diving instructor, I have a right to choose the requirements of my course (obviously exceeding the minimum standards). Because someone gives me money doesn't equate to "Here's your card." They either meet my standards or they don't. I'll work with them until I'm too old and feeble to do so, at no additional charge. That's my end. There's is to meet the standards that I see as required. They know beforehand that there are no free rides and it will be a challenge. That's accessible to those than can, not to those who can not.

When did everything become delusional? If you can't make the team, you're not on the team. If you can't get the grades in school, you don't pass. Our society shouldn't make a point of giving people driving licenses to those who don't know how to drive, pilot licenses to people who can't fly, or diving certifications to people who simply don't know how. It's called responsibility. :shocked2:

 

[Scott L]

Not solely, unethical instructors have played their parts as well. Most of the blame goes to the agencies who have participated.

Once again I do not normally participate in these threads but what of the idea of training agencies offering introductory scuba classes in order to determine suitability to the sport. Because I am a active diver I generally always ask folks I come in contact with whether they dive or not. I cannot tell you how many people offer the explanation that they have problems clearing their ears (skin diving) or predict claustrophobia issues as an impediment to initiating training.

Given these facts is one reason PADI has such a short OW cirriculum IMO. If they were to offer an introductory class as suggested above, they could then posiably extent their OW cirriculum. Just throwing mud up against the walls...

 

[Diver0001]

Embrace your inner wimp.

I tried but the little bugger squirmed out and ran away. Last I heard he was living with Woody Allen.

I am now completely devoid of an inner wimp. Everything about me is made of rock and steel, including my emotions. If someone was shooting at you, CD, I'd catch the bullet just so I could brag about it at the pub.

R..

 

[Cave Diver]

Because your children want something, doesn't mean that you should give it to them. Because people want to steal from you, doesn't mean you allow them to.

Agreed. But just because I agree with you doesn't mean that there aren't a still lot of parents that buy little Johnny everything his heart desires.

As a diving instructor, I have a right to choose the requirements of my course (obviously exceeding the minimum standards).

Agreed. But that doesn't mean that Instructor Z down the street who teaches for your agency can't just teach to the minimum and call it a day.

When did everything become delusional?

That is a damn good question!

If you can't make the team, you're not on the team. If you can't get the grades in school, you don't pass. Our society shouldn't make a point of giving people driving licenses to those who don't know how to drive, pilot licenses to people who can't fly, or diving certifications to people who simply don't know how. It's called responsibility. :shocked2:

I agree that it shouldnt happen. That doesn't mean that it's not happening.

Forget the dive industry. If you wan't to talk about a decline in teaching standards, lets look at our school districts. With all the tools and information available to us these days, should students be allowed to graduate that can't read, write, or put together a basic sentence?

If people can't be bothered to get a decent primary education, why would they want to spend any more time than absolutely necessary to get a secondary one for a "hobby"?

 

[Diver0001]

Once again I do not normally participate in these threads but what of the idea of training agencies offering introductory scuba classes in order to determine suitability to the sport.

That's called the Open Water Diver course.

It's performanced based. If you can't (or won't) master all of the skills then you don't get a card (or at least, you're not supposed to).

On a more serious note, we run try-dives in the pool on a weekly basis most of the year. People who are interested in trying it out but aren't sure that scuba is for them can take the DSD and give it a go in the pool.

People who are really completely hopeless (which few are) will show up in the first few minutes. You can usually identify the naturals in a few mintues too.

But really, hardly anyone is hopeless. Of all the try-dives I've ever done with people I recall sending one out of the water for her own safety and one never tried to submerge because she was a 5 alarm hydrophobic. She wanted to sign up for a diving course but I sent her away to learn to swim first. That's two out of gobs.

R..

 

[Cave Diver]

But really, hardly anyone is hopeless. Of all the try-dives I've ever done with people I recall sending one out of the water for her own safety and one never tried to submerge because she was a 5 alarm hydrophobic. She wanted to sign up for a diving course but I sent her away to learn to swim first. That's two out of gobs.

R..

I can't help but think that it would be funny (at least for me) to go "undercover" as that totally helpless student in someone's class.