Red Flags or Misplaced Expectations?

[jadairiii]

There is a lot of lying and BS going on when these instructor classes are sold. Everybody who's actually worked, knows this.

Ironically, it's seem to be a touchy subject to people that never worked.

This has been an enjoyable thread to watch, lots of emotion.

That said, I went as high as AI, but my experience was completely different than what I see being discussed. Why? I did mine while at UF in the 80's. Completely professional, no promises, everything by the book. Oddly, when I did mine, UF didnt even have a course number for DM or AI, our professor had to create it for my group (1981). What was great was we just worked the college basic and advance classes every semester. Like clockwork.

So, there are programs out there that avoid the "lying and BS". One just needs to look.

 

[berndo]

@jadairiii I was talking about instructor training in the PADI/SSI system. I don't understand why people think their DM experience or some university course from 40 years ago relates anything I said or to anything related to this thread. There is also clubs like BSAC. The system works differently. There is not the same motivation to bullsh_t people as there is in the PADI/SSI system. I don't know what went on in some college in the 80s, so I can't comment. In contrast to you and some other people, I don't comment on stuff I know nothing about and have no experience with. Some of you should try that some time.

 

[NorCalDM]

Guiding people on weekends as a divemaster doesn't give you any inside into the industry and I wouldn't consider that working either. Weekend DMs are customers that dive with other customers. When something costs money (being a weeked DM costs money) it's not a job, it's a hobby.
The fact that scuba is a niche market has nothing to do with anything in the thread.

You are assuming what I have done in the industry and you have assumed wrong. Guiding is not much of a thing in California.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

But this 3rd party evaluation is exactly what happens with scuba instruction.

An employee/contractor paid by the agency is used to certify an instructor to teach that agency's program.

Where's the 3rd party evaluation?
-----
People, you should all be absolutely terrified that the world is going to end, as I am quite certain it is the 7th sign that someone with whom I have had many disagreements and I are in such agreement.

Tell you're loved ones that you love them as the world is about to end.

 

[berndo]

Where's the 3rd party evaluation?

When the owner of a henhouse gets a fox to guard it... you could call that fox a 3rd party.

 

[Wookie]

When the owner of a henhouse gets a fox to guard it... you could call that fox a 3rd party.

It used to be that the examiner was a PADI employee, and that multiple course directors scheduled their courses around when the examiner (regional PADI rep) was coming to visit. My IDC was a class of 8, my IE was 50 candidates. About half failed.

I have no idea if the regional reps still perform the IE, but I do know a traveling contract examiner personally.

 

[jadairiii]

@jadairiii I was talking about instructor training in the PADI/SSI system. I don't understand why people think their DM experience or some university course from 40 years ago relates anything I said or to anything related to this thread.

I was trained under PADI "system" for my AI (NAUI for DM). My point was, the OP has options and, if interested, those options should be explored. Dive shops aint the only game in town to advance into teaching status.

And you clearly misunderstood my earlier post, i was agreeing with you, the industry is full of lies and BS. My very first post, I thought, made that point.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

My IDC was a class of 8, my IE was 50 candidates. About half failed.

Wow! Our IDC was 4. My IE there were probably 12 total. No one failed.

 

[Wookie]

Wow! Our IDC was 4. My IE there were probably 12 total. No one failed.

My guess would be that my number is quite a bit lower than yours, before PADI was owned by a private equity company.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

My guess would be that my number is quite a bit lower than yours, before PADI was owned by a private equity company.

I became an instructor prior to 2017 (2015 actually). 2017 was the last year I was a PADI instructor.