Why is it so difficult to find a PADI tec rec instructor?

[Scuba Scott]

I have no idea what this means.

I was a PADI OW instructor and then got certified as a TDI instructor. I then crossed over and became a PADI tech instructor. I had to work just as hard to become a PADI tech instructor as I did to become a TDI tech instructor. Actually, it might be harder, because the test for the first level of PADI tech has an instructor exam that is a real bear--most people fail it the first time.

Never intended PADI was easier or not as good as anyone else.
You were already a PADI instructor. You became a TDI instructor. You crossed over to PADI again.
I wasn't talking about academic or technical difficulty. All that crossing back n forth, maintaining 2 instructor memberships, added expense and duplication of effort. That seems like a lot of extra work. You are probably better for it but still...

 

[toby43]

So, I have tried to take TEC 40 and 45 in Cozumel, Cayman Brac, and Bonaire without luck. There seem to be some shops offering it, but when you actually try to make advance arrangements, there's an instructor availability problem.

I did find a place in Grand Cayman, but they want an enormous amount for the gas. They are actually charging $60 to fill a set of AL80 doubles. By my math that is $30 per tank. I have never heard of any place charging $30 to fill an AL80. Most places include the cost of the air when you take a course, so this took me for a double surprise.

Whats up? Do I need to go TDI?

Yes

 

[Searcaigh]

I did find a place in Grand Cayman, but they want an enormous amount for the gas. They are actually charging $60 to fill a set of AL80 doubles. By my math that is $30 per tank. I have never heard of any place charging $30 to fill an AL80. Most places include the cost of the air when you take a course, so this took me for a double surprise.

In my neck of the woods that is a bargain, twin 80s over here for an 18/40 mix will cost you around $200.

When I did my IANTD courses, gas costs were separate.

 

[IDS_Bill]

Well I dunno, I'm happy to take any GUE course with any of the instructors they have, worst case I might have some personality issues with the person, but that does not imply anything about the teaching.

Other agencies? Yes I'd probably have a look at the instructor, but I'd look first at the IANTD instructors before others (Here around, to my knowledge, we can have IANTD, TDI, PADI or CMAS, that's about it)

I totally disagree with this. Regardless of the agency, there are yahoos out there that have been pencil whipped into being instructors.

Instructor first, agency second in my opinion...............

 

[Patoux01]

Well, can you cite one "yahoo that has been pencip whipped into being instructor" at GUE?

 

[DevonDiver]

When I became a (as then) DSAT Tech Deep Instructor in 2007, nearly all the PADI (DSAT) instructor trainers were PADI CDs who crossed over as tech ITs from other agencies (mostly TDI or IANTD). Around 2 years later, the DSAT Tech Deep course was sub-divided into the PADI TecRecTec40/45/50 courses.... making them more achievable and further in-line with the structure of syllabus progression offered by other agencies.

There's been plenty of time for in-house TecRec instructor trainers to develop... so many now qualifiying with PADI are taught by instructor who only have experience of PADI...qualified by ITs who only have experience of PADI. There's been a skill drain since that the 'old guard' cross-over generation, IMHO....

I do miss the old Tech Deep course though.... it was a big investment in time and money.... so it attracted only serious divers who'd invariably prepare themselves well in advance.

In order to become a DSAT Tech Deep instructor.... I had to first cross-over at diver level. I was certified with TDI at the time. That was a prerequisite for the Tech Deep instructor course..... so nowadays, I think it'd make sense that if you had any inclination to progress to PADI Tech Instructor ratings... you might as well learn with that syllabus from the outset.

That said.... it's better to get the best quality instruction that you can.... regardless of agency. Become a great tech diver before you even consider becoming a tech instructor. Once you've got significant experience in technical diving, the finer points of this agency syllabus versus that agencies' syllabus are very easy to digest and accommodate. Plus.... having experience of different approaches and philosophies is always a good thing.... and makes for a wiser, more comprehensive instructor....

I imagined the tech market was now getting saturated by newly fledged PADI TecRec tech instructors..... when a big agency jumps on the bandwagon and starts doing the zero-to-hero thing.... surprised to find anyone having difficulty finding a TecRec instructor nowadays... (finding a quality TecRec instructor.... that's a different challenge)

 

[IDS_Bill]

Well, can you cite one "yahoo that has been pencip whipped into being instructor" at GUE?

Don't know any personally - the ones I know are actually TDI (nothing against the agency - just is what it is).

My point is that even if the training program is perfect and processes are in place to assure quality, people are people (I just finished a SOI 3 audit with the FAA so maybe I am reeling from that )

 

[boulderjohn]

In order to become a DSAT Tech Deep instructor.... I had to first cross-over at diver level. I was certified with TDI at the time. That was a prerequisite for the Tech Deep instructor course..... so nowadays, I think it'd make sense that if you had any inclination to progress to PADI Tech Instructor ratings... you might as well learn with that syllabus from the outset.
...

I imagined the tech market was now getting saturated by newly fledged PADI TecRec tech instructors..... when a big agency jumps on the bandwagon and starts doing the zero-to-hero thing.... surprised to find anyone having difficulty finding a TecRec instructor nowadays... (finding a quality TecRec instructor.... that's a different challenge)

I have no idea what you are talking about here. I was a TDI tech instructor who crossed over to PADI just 1.5 years ago. I had to go through the whole Tech Deep course (it's now Tec 40-45-50, but it's the same course). I then had to do all the other stuff to become an instructor (skills, passing the exam, etc.). Where is the zero to hero you are talking about?

You really seem to be saying that if a PADI instructor learned to dive first first from a different agency, they are much better than if they were initially trained from PADI. Since it is possible the people YOU are training right now will go on to become instructors, that means the people you are training are inferior to people trained by other instructors in other agencies. Why is that? What are you doing as an instructor that is producing these inferior divers?

 

[DevonDiver]

I had to go through the whole Tech Deep course ...I then had to do all the other stuff to become an instructor (skills, passing the exam, etc.). Where is the zero to hero you are talking about?

Just that.... but for recreational instructors of zero prior tech experience.... who go through that whole process in a fortnight...with only the bare minimum prerequisite of deco dives...

You really seem to be saying that if a PADI instructor learned to dive first first from a different agency, they are much better than if they were initially trained from PADI.

What I am saying is that the 'first generation' of PADI (DSAT) tech instructor trainers crossed-over and typically brought vast amounts of tech experience with them. Subsequent 'generations' of tech instructor trainers were developed in-house... knowing only the DSAT/TecRec syllabus. Each successive generation suffered a skill fade.... (in general, of course).

This also recognizes that, in recent years, technical diving has become much more 'mainstream'.... and desirable (re: profitable) on the IT and instructor resume.... in turn, acknowledging that a percent age of 'pros' made a decision to quickly 'train up' in technical diving merely to add to their teaching repertoire..... rather than having any deep passion or interest in technical diving for themselves.

I've met a dismaying number of technical instructors and tech instructor-trainers who only ever put on technical diving rig when they have a rare and occasional tech course to teach.... and what they do teach is limited entirely to the contents of the manual/syllabus (because they know zero beyond that....)

Since it is possible the people YOU are training right now will go on to become instructors, that means the people you are training are inferior to people trained by other instructors in other agencies. Why is that? What are you doing as an instructor that is producing these inferior divers?

Where do I fall in the mix? I was a technical diver (TDI) for years before I became a technical instructor (DSAT, then TecRec), who also qualified to teach tech with ANDI (but, neglected to cross-over tech instructor to BSAC and SSI)... and have done in excess of 2000 technical dives, often with divers from other agencies (IANTD, GUE, UTD, RAID etc...)...

The point being, my experience and knowledge is not limited to sum content of a single agency syllabus and manual....and neither are my training courses.

A diver.... trained by an instructor.... trained by an instructor trainer... all of whom have a sum experience from a single agency manual/syllabus is pretty limited in may facets. That's true of any agency, not directed specifically at PADI.

 

[boulderjohn]

What I am saying is that the 'first generation' of PADI (DSAT) tech instructor trainers crossed-over and typically brought vast amounts of tech experience with them. Subsequent 'generations' of tech instructor trainers were developed in-house... knowing only the DSAT/TecRec syllabus. Each successive generation suffered a skill fade.... (in general, of course).

How do you know what level of experience they brought over? How do you know they didn't just do the minimum and then cross over? How do you know the people getting trained now have less experience?