What does "Experience" really mean?

[Cave Diver]

Something I observed got me thinking about this the other day. We often talk about having XX number years of experience in this or that, but what does that really mean.

For example, I have 15 years retail management experience. That was my job every day at least 40 (often more) hours a week for 15 years.

But what is my diving experience? I've been certified since 2000. So I have 9 years experience right? But I don't dive 40 hours a week. So can I really claim "9 years" experience?

What about boat dive charters? "We've been in business for 25 years." But what if that particular location has only existed for the past couple? Does experience elsewhere really translate to a specific location?

Or a boat captain with 10 years experience. What if they were only active for 6 years, then took a break before coming back. Does the time count only from their first activity, or should it be judged by some standard of min hours per yer to count as "experience."

Comments?

 

[Blackwood]

To paraphrase someone else, it's like porn. I can't tell you what it is, but I'll know it when I have/see it.


I find it as difficult as you to judge someone based on something so... ethereal as "their experience." You have to dive with someone to know.

Short of that, I guess you have to assume someone is as good as/knows as much as the bare minimum standard of their training level. Like public school teachers who often complain about having to teach to the slowest kid in the class, I guess if someone says "I'm open water certified," you have to assume they can handle certain basic skills in controlled situations even if they're far more accomplished.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

This is in the basic scuba discussion forum why?

Obviously 8,613 posts is not enough experience on SB to know where a thread should go, or at least how to word it so it sounds vaugely basic scuba related.

But assuming we are talking about scuba expereince as opposed to experience in general, here goes:

I don't think just number of dives, years, etc, is the whole story as quality also counts and is not something that correlates with just a number.

At the other extreme I don't think having all your experience in one location or in one discipline is ideal either as it does not always prepare you for the unexpected or give you the same base of diversity and experience to draw on to get a more open minded or unbiased perspective. Sometimes it is nice to have a wider base of ideas, opinions and ummm...experience to draw from when solving a problem.

Mistakes are a great learning tool and have significant impact that aides long term retention - if of course you survive the mistake. So being perfect or always following and never leading and never making a mistake is not a great way to acquire expereince either.

So I think "experience" needs a combination of time, a steady increase in the challenge and variety of experiences and a mature and open minded atttiude that lets you integrate the new experiences into your overall view of things. The last part is perhaps the most important. Some people are extremely resitant to learing and or are extremely rigid and unwilling to adapt. It takes an incredible amount of experience to even have a hope of changing that.

 

[Dive Junky]

Training, # of dives, varied environments, varied locations, etc. Number of years has nothing to with it.

 

[Cave Diver]

This is in the basic scuba discussion forum why?

Obviously 8,613 posts is not enough experience on SB to know where a thread should go, or at least how to word it so it sounds vaugely basic scuba related.

But assuming we are talking about scuba expereince as opposed to experience in general, here goes:

But what is my diving experience? I've been certified since 2000. So I have 9 years experience right? But I don't dive 40 hours a week. So can I really claim "9 years" experience?

What about boat dive charters? "We've been in business for 25 years." But what if that particular location has only existed for the past couple? Does experience elsewhere really translate to a specific location?

Or a boat captain with 10 years experience. What if they were only active for 6 years, then took a break before coming back. Does the time count only from their first activity, or should it be judged by some standard of min hours per yer to count as "experience."

Comments?

Better?

And everyone knows that SB post count = dive experience. ; )

 

[Prostar]

Welcome to the Puget Sound. Are you here to dive?

Yes, I have ten years of diving experience.

Great. Well, let's get into our dry uits and we'll start the breifing.

What's a drysuit?

Where is your hood and gloves?

What's a hood? And we aren't allowed to wear gloves.

"Yew ain't from around here, are yew?"


Experience, depends.

 

[Cave Diver]

Welcome to the Puget Soound. Are you here to dive?

Yes, I have ten years of diving experience.

Great. Well, let's get into our dry uits and we'll start the breifing.

What's a drysuit?

Where is your hood and gloves?

What's a hood? And we aren't allowed to wear gloves.

"Yew ain't from around here, are yew?"


Experience, depends.

That conversation sounds eerily similar to one I overheard.

 

[scubadada]

Interesting question. PADI MSD, 360 dives, 292 hours, mostly warm water but 27 cold water dives, 107 dives greater than 100 feet, 99 EAN dives, 55 deep wreck dives... anyone think they know me and trust my experience? Well, and 175 posts to ScubaBoard, some even reasonable.

Good diving, Craig

 

[Cave Diver]

Interesting question. PADI MSD, 360 dives, 292 hours, mostly warm water but 27 cold water dives, 107 dives greater than 100 feet, 99 EAN dives, 55 deep wreck dives... anyone think they know me and trust my experience? Well, and 175 posts to ScubaBoard.

Good diving, Craig

Yes, but how many yearssss?

 

[Dive Junky]

Interesting question. PADI MSD, 360 dives, 292 hours, mostly warm water but 27 cold water dives, 107 dives greater than 100 feet, 99 EAN dives, 55 deep wreck dives... anyone think they know me and trust my experience? Well, and 175 posts to ScubaBoard, some even reasonable.

Good diving, Craig

Looks like you are a fellow Northeast diver. I trust ya.