Tech through PADI or TDI?

[Germie]

Choose the instructor that fits you.
And even with the best instructor, it can be that it is a worse instructor for you as the personality does not fit you.
But there is no reason to do agency bashing, there is still no proof that 'DIR' diving standardgases gives less accidents than using 'best mixes'. And cmas does not has higher accident rates than padi. Some instructors teach for more than 1 agency.
I have done courses where I could choose for certs from TDI or IANTD or Padi as the courses where same, same instructor, just at the end another cert. For some courses I had the choice of 1 tdi instructor and 5 iantd instructors for the same course. I choosed the best that fitted me best. It can be easy.
And important: choose the courseprogramm that fits you. I have decided never to do a course where the first day is no diving and only theory. Even a smaller dive at the end of the day can be done, but a day of no diving is not a course day where I would pay for. If not possible, then I would look for a better instructor or course for me. If you don't have problems of a day of no diving, then this is not a decision issue for you. Sometimes you have to start with some theory and landdrills, but there is no reason not to do a dive in the afternoon. I talk about user levels. But even on only 1 instructor course I had 1 day of no diving. All others I arranged diving (sometimes not part of the course, but I went diving in the evening). For me as user it meaned that some courses where an absolute no-go as the first day was theory. And I am more or less an autodidactical learner, and some instructors don't like that. Others coach you and are not instructing you step by step. All withing standards of course.
So think what kind of diver you are too. What is your way of learning? And talk about that to the instructor.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Can I ask why you did the courses with 3 different companies?

I move around a lot, so different instructors.

 

[rabe]

Choose the instructor that fits you.
And even with the best instructor, it can be that it is a worse instructor for you as the personality does not fit you.
But there is no reason to do agency bashing, there is still no proof that 'DIR' diving standardgases gives less accidents than using 'best mixes'. And cmas does not has higher accident rates than padi. Some instructors teach for more than 1 agency.
I have done courses where I could choose for certs from TDI or IANTD or Padi as the courses where same, same instructor, just at the end another cert. For some courses I had the choice of 1 tdi instructor and 5 iantd instructors for the same course. I choosed the best that fitted me best. It can be easy.
And important: choose the courseprogramm that fits you. I have decided never to do a course where the first day is no diving and only theory. Even a smaller dive at the end of the day can be done, but a day of no diving is not a course day where I would pay for. If not possible, then I would look for a better instructor or course for me. If you don't have problems of a day of no diving, then this is not a decision issue for you. Sometimes you have to start with some theory and landdrills, but there is no reason not to do a dive in the afternoon. I talk about user levels. But even on only 1 instructor course I had 1 day of no diving. All others I arranged diving (sometimes not part of the course, but I went diving in the evening). For me as user it meaned that some courses where an absolute no-go as the first day was theory. And I am more or less an autodidactical learner, and some instructors don't like that. Others coach you and are not instructing you step by step. All withing standards of course.
So think what kind of diver you are too. What is your way of learning? And talk about that to the instructor.

That's a very good answer (and I got similar answers from others).
I know already the instructor I will have, I trust him and he's very competent. He's doing it as PADI.
The good thing is that he's willing to do the course with 1 student only (me), while in other places they want to wait until they have at least 3 students. I think this will be good because it will be like a personal instructor and no other people with different characteristics, diving requests, pace, etc.
The only thing I'm concerned is the small amount of dives included: 1 in the pool (yak) and 3 in open ocean. I think they should be a little more, but maybe it's just my idea...
Anyway, I'm looking forward to start my training!!

 

[rabe]

I move around a lot, so different instructors.

Thanks

 

[sigxbill]

the instructor I will have, I trust him and he's very competent. He's doing it as PADI.
The good thing is that he's willing to do the course with 1 student only (me), while in other places they want to wait until they have at least 3 students. I think this will be good because it will be like a personal instructor and no other people with different characteristics, diving requests, pace, etc.
The only thing I'm concerned is the small amount of dives included: 1 in the pool (yak) and 3 in open ocean. I think they should be a little more

You don't have to answer this to me or anyone else except yourself, but how do you know he is very competent? You are a tech student, so maybe you don't actually know what to look for as a method to judge competence yet - so maybe your trust is ill conceived. Why do you think other places wait until they have 3 students? I'll give you a hint - it's not always because they want more money. I would argue that "other people with different characteristics, diving requests, pace, etc." shouldn't pose a problem for you if the instructor is competent. If you are concerned about the small amount of dives included, maybe that tells you something about the instructor / agency. I am also curious about why your "yak" comment about pool? And maybe my cautions are all for not ...

cheers and good luck

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

but how do you know he is very competent?

This reply is meant for everyone in general, but this question applies to all instructors of all levels.

 

[boulderjohn]

If you are concerned about the small amount of dives included, maybe that tells you something about the instructor / agency.

I am pretty sure every agency teaching tech identifies a number of dives as a minimum guideline, not maximum. The key to finishing the course is performing the required skills correctly, no matter how many dives it takes to do them. I can't believe there is an agency anywhere that would contenance an instructor passing a student because they had completed the required number of dives without meeting standards on the skills required for those dives.

 

[boulderjohn]

Why do you think other places wait until they have 3 students? I'll give you a hint - it's not always because they want more money.

Really?

A minimum number of divers in a class was the requirement for both the shops for which I worked, and the reason was 100% because it was not cost effective to do it with fewer than that number. As a tech instructor in the Rocky Mountains, that was a real problem for me, because it was darned tough to get that minimum number at one time--the market is too small here. As an independent, I typically teach one student at a time, something that would not be allowed without an extra charge for a private class where I worked in the past.

 

[stevensamler]

That's a very good answer (and I got similar answers from others).
I know already the instructor I will have, I trust him and he's very competent. He's doing it as PADI.
The good thing is that he's willing to do the course with 1 student only (me), while in other places they want to wait until they have at least 3 students. I think this will be good because it will be like a personal instructor and no other people with different characteristics, diving requests, pace, etc.
The only thing I'm concerned is the small amount of dives included: 1 in the pool (yak) and 3 in open ocean. I think they should be a little more, but maybe it's just my idea...
Anyway, I'm looking forward to start my training!!

Can't do Tech with only one student , the foundation of Tech is the team and your so called instructor is not part of the team period. You need like minded teammates with same skill set that have passed prerequisite in water skills to have a good Tech class.

 

[stuartv]

Can't do Tech with only one student , the foundation of Tech is the team and your so called instructor is not part of the team period. You need like minded teammates with same skill set that have passed prerequisite in water skills to have a good Tech class.

Are you saying that TDI, PADI, and NAUI (for starters) all require every tech class to have a minimum of 2 students?