Listing both PADI OW and AOW redundant?

[spthomas]

I'm not a scuba instructor yet, but I'm a DiveCon working on it. But I AM an IT (National Safety Council, ASHI, AHA), and we have a problem in the emergency medical field of students wanting the shortest course they can get. There is a lot of pressure from students (and from their employers since a lot get paid to take our training) to make it as short as possible. We do quality work, but I lose a LOT of students to the "other guys" who will do short classes. Maybe it's that way in scuba too.

I like the idea of making AOW a course and a rating. But realize that there are lots of specialties, and the idea of the "pick any 4" allows the flexibility to customize the curriculum to the particular area and diver interest. I do think it's important to spend class time on the academics of each specialty, and make a "class" out if it, not just a bunch of different dives. But I'll be a lot of instructors in all the agencies don't do that, and just do dives and minimal class (like the briefing only, and do the workbook).

Again, maybe this is "Intermediate Open Water", and AOW is another animal entirely.

=Steve=

 

[Orion DM]

I'm not saying OW divers don't need additional training, in fact, most are a danger to themselves and their buddies. AOW isn't the training they need. Most need to get the skills left out of their OW class, then take a real advanced class like LA County's Advanced Diver Program (the best around IMHO) or YMCA's Silver Advanced (don't bother with YMCA's AOW - it's also a joke).

Your LA County c-card will count for far more than a PADI AOW card to anyone who knows anything about training.

My dad would be delighted to hear you say that! He was instructor #15 (That was a while ago that he started diving) for LA County, and he gives me no end of guff about PADI and their methods.

Not to derail the thread.... just tickled by your comment.