Should instructors be required to be with a shop to be able to certify people?

[Jorbar1551]

Yes, and an independant instructor might tend to have more reason to BE a good instructor. Since they don't have a dive shop to funnel students to them, word of mouth will be critical to their success.

or they dont have a shop that will accept them because of bad instruction.

 

[jpcpat]

or they dont have a shop that will accept them because of bad instruction.

Please don't feed the troll!

 

[Thalassamania]

I don't see near as much conflict between instructors and shops as I do between instructors and certifiers. I think we would be better of with appropriate seperation in those two functions.

I'm confused, what is that you mean? The instructor is the certifier, the agency promulgates standards and the instructor certifies that they have been met.

 

[wedivebc]

Given the inherent conflict of interest, should instructors in the employ of dive shops, either directly or indirectly be trusted to certify people?

What certification are you referring to? Why is there a conflict of interest? Am I missing something?

 

[H2Andy]

the pressure on the shops is to get as many people through and certified so they buy equipment and keep buying equipment and air, etc.

the shops in turn may put pressure on the instructors to pass people who may not be quite ready.

some instructors may cave in to that pressure and thus certify people due to financial considerations rather than on their performance

i think that's the issue

 

[JcoldwaterIL]

Don't just about all instructors work for dive shops?

 

[Thalassamania]

Don't just about all instructors work for dive shops?

No, there are a fair number of independents of one type or another.

 

[redacted]

I'm confused, what is that you mean? The instructor is the certifier, the agency promulgates standards and the instructor certifies that they have been met.

I'm saying that creats a conflict. I'd rather see a system where instruction and certification were seperated. Somewhat like driver training and licensing. One benefit is there would be no sense of obligation to certify just because the certifier was also the instructor.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I've thought that retail sales and other shop concerns create a significant conflict of interest ever since I had a shop and felt that conflict of interest breathing down my neck 24 hours a day.

Thinking back to my corporate years and the way corporate ethics manuals were usually worded...if the appearance of a conflict of interest existed, you were in the wrong. It was definately NOT inocent until proven guilty.

I have no personal knowledge of any shop that teaches a class that I think is good. All the instructors that I know and personally have recommended are independant and I usually recommend people strongly consider checking into some independants before signing up with a shop.

I'm sure there's a good instructor in a shop someplace but it isn't something that I've personally ever come across.

 

[Thalassamania]

I'm saying that creats a conflict. I'd rather see a system where instruction and certification were seperated. Somewhat like driver training and licensing. One benefit is there would be no sense of obligation to certify just because the certifier was also the instructor.

Point well taken, you propose a system of independent examiners, yes?