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

[Rick Murchison]

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.

Well, Mike, come on down for a visit. If you don't think our classes are "good" then we can use your advice.
Rick

 

[Ber Rabbit]

theres a difference between a qualified instructor, and a good instructor.

Exactly. I know an instructor who is certified to teach but not qualified...btw, he works for a shop.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[gangrel441]

i just fixed the post. the reason i'm asking this is because i've heard of a couple of stories of people getting screwed by instructors that are indpendant.

about 10 years ago a friend of mine who works with me paid 400 dollars to get certafied by a guy who was independent. im not sure how they met, but my friend paid the money, and got the books. the instructor said when you are done with the books, give him a call. about 2 weeks later, my friend tried to give the guy a call and couldnt get a hold of him. he went to the lds to see if they new anything about that guy, and they told him he was a legit instructor for some other agency. he called around and found his home number. no one answered and noone returned his messages. about 2 weeks later, he went back to the dive shop and the dive shop told him that the guy passed away from a heart attack 3 weeks ago. he never got his money back and never finished his ow cert until a year ago.

i know this rarely happens, but i was thinking that an independent instructor has a little less credibility than an instructor with a shop backing them up.

I see...so the real gist of this thread is should instructors be allowed to die without permission and without first clearing it on their calendar...an interesting quandry...

Ummm...this sound like more a case to settle with the instructor's estate. It has very little to do with the instructor's credibility, unless you think he faked his death and moved to an island somewhere.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Well, Mike, come on down for a visit. If you don't think our classes are "good" then we can use your advice.
Rick

I doubt you'd need my advice but I'd like to visit sometime anyway.

 

[loosebits]

The exception that proves the rule.