scuba training academies in the keys

[jonhoodpms]

Hi everyone,
I would like to know everyone's thoughts on the attending the dive academies in the Keys. Specifically, Halls dive academy and Rainbow Reef. I am going to the Keys in the middle of July and would like to all the info I can gather before I go.
I welcome all opinions - good and bad.


look forward to hearing from you all !

 

[fire_diver]

Are you wanting to run away to become a DI at some random location, or just wanting to get your instructor creds? I don't know these companies, but I wouldn't choose a place like this unless I was looking at option #1

 

[endurodog]

I did my instructor stuff at Rainbow Reef and would highly recommend it! Ross is the CD there and if you call and talk to him he will answer all your questions. Great course and great instruction.

 

[mathauck0814]

They're definitely instructor mills. "Academy" is a fun word for it though.

 

[endurodog]

Have to disagree with the instructor mill comments. Don't feel like I went to an instructor mill, got good instruction and feel like a competent instructor. Didn't know you guys had been and seen what instruction goes on there. When did you attend or observe???

FWIW I did my DM and Asst Instructor at other locations so I do have some perspective.

I have not been to Halls and am not so arrogant to comment on what they or they do not do.

 

[jonhoodpms]

Thanks for your replies !
I am wanting to get instructor certs, equipment repair, - basically the whole ball of wax - plan on being there around 6 months !

 

[agilis]

Thanks for your replies !
I am wanting to get instructor certs, equipment repair, - basically the whole ball of wax - plan on being there around 6 months !

And then what? What will you really be qualified to do?

With the number of dives you have logged you are barely a beginner. After a few months of instruction you will, at best, be an advanced beginner. And you plan on instructing others who have a few months less experience than you? I think that's why such places are seen as instructor mills. There is no substitute for varied and extensive personal experience during many dives under all kinds of conditions and over considerable time. After that, and only after that, is specialized training as an instructor appropriate.

 

[endurodog]

Everyone has to meet the dive number requirements before someone can certify as an instructor. All shops are required that their students meet those same numbers. Why I'm sure there are shops big and small it's almost unheard of that they would not accept a candidate for IDC that meets those requirements.

Remember the shop doesn't certify instructors and has no say in the cert. only the examiner does

So does any shop that accepts students that meet those set requirements make that shop an "instructor mill"?

 

[agilis]

Everyone has to meet the dive number requirements before someone can certify as an instructor. All shops are required that their students meet those same numbers. Why I'm sure there are shops big and small it's almost unheard of that they would not accept a candidate for IDC that meets those requirements.

Remember the shop doesn't certify instructors and has no say in the cert. only the examiner does

So does any shop that accepts students that meet those set requirements make that shop an "instructor mill"?

What's that minimum number, what is the minimum time frame during which the experience was acquired, and what are the the varied conditions that the candidate has experienced independently and mastered? If the minimum number is not in three figures, or if all the experience was acquired in a few weeks under the same possibly undemanding conditions, then there is a problem. The term instructor mill applies to the institution doing the training, supervising, and collecting the money. Passing a few tests cannot substitute for proven performance under a variety of conditions.

I have seen some amazing things over the years, enough to prove the accuracy of the observation that in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king. The quality and substance of scuba instruction has deteriorated dramatically over the years, and too many fully certified new divers are still afraid of the water and cling to whatever authority figure is present like baby ducks. I understand that this will not change, so please disregard the opinions of an old diver with unpopular and obsolete ideas.

 

[mathauck0814]

Look, the minimums are there to promote the sale of the instructor materials and recruit new members who will pay dues to PADI. That's how PADI stays in business. Don't for a minute believe that all instructors are created equal or that they all came up the same way. Rainbow Reef is an instructor mill because what they do is constantly mint new instructors - it's core to their business, which means that in order to make money, they ensure that people meet the minimum requirements and then send them off into the world; most of them to teach for a very short time or never at all.

Shops that don't rely on revenue from that avenue can be more picky about who they work with as they're likely to have a relationship with that instructor after the fact. If you feel you got your money's worth, I'm certainly not going to tell you otherwise; but to the OP: seriously, if you've got less than 50 dives and one of these shops is even entertaining taking you on as a project you should seriously question their motivations. Making you a great instructor is likely not so important as filling their course with candidates and collecting tuition.

Take the advice that's been given to you in every thread you've posted in: take the next six months and go dive the world. Worry about learning how to dive yourself. Put in several hundred dives - put in several thousand. You'll know you're ready to be an instructor when people start treating you like one because they respect your knowledge and experience and you have something valuable to offer them.