Is PADI non-profit?

[nonameisgood]

So you are saying that every household or business that is making more money than the minimum to run the operation is bad? And that a money-losing business model is good?
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Wow, I have been doing it right, despite what my bank and my wife think!
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My public school reference was to elementary & secondary schools.

The point about medical schools being a money losing proposition may seem valid, but the majority of medical schools are heavily subsidized by governments (and drug & medical device companies). Despite this, tuition is still high, compared with other post-secondary education. It is also a poor analogy because med school is the cost of entry into a money making profession/job which benefits the public.

Dive training, for the majority of participants, is part of a recreational quest. There is no "public good" which comes out of my taking an OW class, thus no market interference by the government or others is warranted.

It seems that there will always be a divide on this issue; some of us think profit is a motive for evil, some think it is a motive for excellence. Maybe we should focus on the quality of the programs, materials, and graduates of the different agencies - but then the discussion may get too personal.

 

[Mako Mark]

In this country at least a person is rewarded for doing anything that gets people to part with their money as long as they don't brek any laws while doing it.

God bless America!

But:

We are not selling crack cocain here Mike, what is your point.

Is GUE above all this?? Or are all their courses free?

.

 

[MikeFerrara]

God bless America!

But:

We are not selling crack cocain here Mike, what is your point.

Is GUE above all this?? Or are all their courses free?

.

No point outside of what I wrote.

As far as I'm concerned there's nothing wrong with making a profit even in diving. In fact if instructors made more training might get better (might)

At the same time as I said I don't think dweeb conveyed any disrespect with what he said.

But...if I made a list of those that I thought of as diving greats Mr. Cronin might not be on it. Of course maybe you have details on some of his dives that I don't.

 

[archman]

No, it didn't. They remain non-profit. They spun off a for profit corporation, which they own, to handle publishing of training materials.

That's right, I just didn't think it was relevant to post. Makes you wonder why NAUI went partially non-profit. Perhaps something to do with being able to "get away with" more on the non-materiale side of the business, hmmm?

The way NAUI gets trounced by PADI, I don't blame them one iota for working the system as best they can. It's about time they got some good business sense, if that's what this turns out to be.

 

[Mako Mark]

In fact if instructors made more training might get better (might)

We have found common ground again Mike! I knew we would get there.

If instructors got paid more, we could demand higher quality.

 

[jonnythan]

SSI and NAUI are non-profit?

edit: By jove, they are!

 

[MikeFerrara]

We have found common ground again Mike! I knew we would get there.

If instructors got paid more, we could demand higher quality.

To get good people and keep em you have to pay. With a high turn over you always have new people and by the time they learn the ropes they're gone.

Paying well doesn't, by itself, insure you'll have good people but not paying well pretty much insures that you won't.

I'll teach diving non-profit when the airlines, resorts, equipment manufacturers and every one else donates their time, effort and expertise. Well I mean non-profit on purpose. So far all my teaching has been non-profit but that's not how I planned it. LOL

 

[VTernovski]

who cares... people are so fixated on the gear (have you ever seen any non-profit gear manufacturers?), but then they spend all these time arguing about for profit training agencies.... I think for every dollar you spend on your gear, one should spend $2 for training. that said, (and by all means, I am not defending PADI here), it really is irrelevant whether an agency is for profit or not. Especially when it comes to individual instructors.. I would stay away from $99 OW classes, just like I stay away from 99 cents condoms.

So, that said, let's not beat the dead horse. the original question was already answered.

 

[TCDiver1]

What possible difference could it make if an agency is "for profit" or "not for profit?"

Thinking that all non-profit companies are moral and uncorrupt is just as naive as thinking that all for profit companies are honest and good.

I see no point to this thread.

 

[ScubaToneDog]

PADI dared to do what others failed to even consider...Mass Marketing! They were the first to introduce the "quickie" resort course to get people in the water and introducing them to the world of diving. Ive met a lot of people who were introduced to this Sport because they tried it on vacation. Their Bubble Blowers and Ranger programs for kids are brilliant too! Diving for the whole family! WOW what a concept. Love em or hate em, you have to respect them for their forward thinking. Like someone posted earlier...it all depends on the instructor...I applaud PADI, NAUI, SSI, YMCA, and any other agencies I may have forgot, for keeping the certification process out of the hands of the government.