Greetings,
I'll be starting a DM program soon. I am not affiliated with any shop, and all the shops around me that I spoke with want any DM's affiliated with them to have been trained by that shop, more or less, period; shops that I frequent nearly daily take it all the more personally when I seek training from somewhere else.
The agency I've chosen to DM with (UTD) does not have an affiliated shop within 45 miles of me and in LA/SD commute, it's nearly impossible for me to get there on a work day regularily (or irregularily without busting into my vacation hours).
Given this info, I have the following questions:
1) What are some ways that an independent DM can be successful in the dive community using his/her responsibilities?
2) How can I best approach a shop to hopefully convince them to allow me to work for them? This is important, I really want to work for a shop. But I have chosen UTD as a training agency for a reason, and most shops will not allow me to DM for them if I don't wear their gear on official functions. None of the shops around here carry some of the gear (BP/w, long hose, can lights, gear configuration in general) nor offers training to that end. Also, they are not familiar with the training, configuration, and philosphy that I practice; this style of diving seems foreign to them.
Many local shops know me very well, by first name alone, and I dive with many of their staff either regularily or irregularily. But there are still some universal truths: 1) they aren't training me and 2) I don't wear their gear. But there must be a way to affiliate with them, no?
I'll be starting a DM program soon. I am not affiliated with any shop, and all the shops around me that I spoke with want any DM's affiliated with them to have been trained by that shop, more or less, period; shops that I frequent nearly daily take it all the more personally when I seek training from somewhere else.
The agency I've chosen to DM with (UTD) does not have an affiliated shop within 45 miles of me and in LA/SD commute, it's nearly impossible for me to get there on a work day regularily (or irregularily without busting into my vacation hours).
Given this info, I have the following questions:
1) What are some ways that an independent DM can be successful in the dive community using his/her responsibilities?
2) How can I best approach a shop to hopefully convince them to allow me to work for them? This is important, I really want to work for a shop. But I have chosen UTD as a training agency for a reason, and most shops will not allow me to DM for them if I don't wear their gear on official functions. None of the shops around here carry some of the gear (BP/w, long hose, can lights, gear configuration in general) nor offers training to that end. Also, they are not familiar with the training, configuration, and philosphy that I practice; this style of diving seems foreign to them.
Many local shops know me very well, by first name alone, and I dive with many of their staff either regularily or irregularily. But there are still some universal truths: 1) they aren't training me and 2) I don't wear their gear. But there must be a way to affiliate with them, no?
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