I agree with this. But, many people have done no research at all. They go for the marketed name. And PADI is the best marketed agency in the world. Tey hear the word and think it must be good, not ever looking at the shop, talking to the instructors, looking around at other groups in the area.....This is exactly where the problem comes in. Most people shopping for a class don't know what questions to ask when they call around and most shops dont likely have much time to go into lengthy sales pitches with every customer that calls. Some shops undoubtedly make a better effort than others, but like with any industry that tends to be the exception rather than the rule.
Absolutely right. But we do need to police ourselves better. I get really tired of the many students who come to me from the other shops here, needing fixing...SSI requires annual reports on all its instructors, submitted by their associated SSI sponsoring shop.
AFAIK the only required formal CE is currency in First Aid, Oxygen Admin & CPR.
As a practical matter the very best CE for an instructor is from the students, who're constantly inventing new and clever ways to hurt themselves.
And no, we do not need the government's help in policing instructors.
Rick
That is not at all what he said. And students never cease to amaze me......All instructors should have it so good to of had you as a student. You are making it sound like students should know how to dive and all the do's and don'ts of the diving world before they sign up for class. Hence the name "students". Hopefully, you teach better than you criticize.
Basically what you're saying is several agencies have low standards (I agree) and it's up to the individual instructor to beef up the class well beyond what is required by some of the agencies. There are rare instructors who do exactly that, but they shouldn't have to do it. I can't buy the concept of letting agencies with poor standards off the hook for their lack of requirements. There are other agencies with higher standards. Poor standards are the fault of the agency that wrote and adopted them.
I agree Walter, but there is a lot of abuse of those standards. If the instructors who rush the class, pool, and sea dives, would slow down and quit compacting their classes for time and drills, many students would be more independent divers upon completion.
Now let's lay some of the blame on the students. Do you know how often I get,"So how fast can I get this certification?"
And, " What do you mean, I need more skills and buoyancy work? I paid my fee, You HAVE to give me my certification! NOW!" No I don't. And I won't, until I am satisfied that they were capable of being a buddy to my children. This is why I Know my new divers would never let a DM or instructor lull them into doing a dive that the were not ready for. Because I do train them to be thinking divers. Many of us do. All should.
I own the shop, and I push my new OW divers to DIVE. Please do at least 10 2 tank dives before you come for your AOW class. You need to dive. I know that many instructors, however, are pushed to roll them through. I am sorry for that too.
So, I don't blame any one person. There needs to be a stepping up from all arenas involved. At the end of the day, it's someone's life or family at risk. Most dive accidents, according to DAN, are purely diver error. That's the point of these discussions. To learn from other's errors. Let's do that.