Is Halls Diving Academy the way to go?

[kimbalabala]

Does anyone have an opinion about their repair technician training - not instructor training? My husband has toyed with the idea of just doing their repair tech training program. Thanks. (I didn't read the entire thread and apologize in advance if this was already addressed).

 

[Wookie]

Does anyone have an opinion about their repair technician training - not instructor training? My husband has toyed with the idea of just doing their repair tech training program. Thanks. (I didn't read the entire thread and apologize in advance if this was already addressed).

What would the point be? Although it does give you a general idea how to repair certain gear, it isn't a certification course, that is, you won't me a Mako or Bauer or whatever certified air compressor technician. Nor will you be certified to repair ScubaPro or Mares or Atomic regulators. So, if your husband wants to gain knowledge on how regulators and air compressors work, it's fine. If he wants to repair regulators or air compressors, he needs to take a course from the manufacturer. That is done in a very few places a year in the USA, like DEMA or one of the other big trade shows.

 

[akdeepdiver]

I was looking into it a few years back, but decided against it when it took 5 emails and two calls to finally get a straight answer that their class doesn't give you any factory certifications.

Does anyone have an opinion about their repair technician training - not instructor training? My husband has toyed with the idea of just doing their repair tech training program. Thanks. (I didn't read the entire thread and apologize in advance if this was already addressed).

 

[kimbalabala]

Ok, I know that a company's advertising may be misleading, but the brochure that we have says that the Equipment Repair Technician Program training confers a 'diploma' after the 48 hour course. Is that 'diploma' essentially worthless? I would think that during the 48 hours of training they are learning something valuable? How to rebuild regulators, service BC's, etc. Are we being totally hoodwinked by the company? My husband's not signed up to do anything - just thinking about it.

 

[akdeepdiver]

It gives you a diploma from Halls. I can't say if the training is good or not since I have not been through it. I do know that you don't have the factory cert so you don't have access to factory parts or updates. From a liability point, any shop would still need to send a person through the factory class for the manufactures cert. If it was my shop, any technician would have to be factory trained to work on a regulator just for the legal standpoint before I would let them touch that brand.

 

[Wookie]

Ok, I know that a company's advertising may be misleading, but the brochure that we have says that the Equipment Repair Technician Program training confers a 'diploma' after the 48 hour course. Is that 'diploma' essentially worthless? I would think that during the 48 hours of training they are learning something valuable? How to rebuild regulators, service BC's, etc. Are we being totally hoodwinked by the company? My husband's not signed up to do anything - just thinking about it.

Let's look at it like a college education, which I happen to have a couple of. I have a diploma which says I have a Bachelors of Engineering Technology. I have a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science also. Neither one actually trained me to DO anything, and certainly didn't CERTIFY me to do anything. I can ship radioactive hazardous waste all over the country if you want that done, but to learn how to do that, I had to take a 2 week course in how to ship radioactive hazardous waste. Now, the BSES gave me some background, but didn't give me any specific knowledge.

The certificate from Halls will teach your husband how to rebuild a regulator, but he won't be CERTIFIED to rebuild a regulator. Each regulator company has their own tech course, I will be attending ScubaPro, Mares, and Oceanic this fall. I am current on Atomic and Aqualung. I have worked as a Mako compressor tech, but I have not been to the week long school offered in North Carolina, so I cannot call myself a Mako tech. I can fix most anything, but can't go out on my own and order parts, etc.

If he has little to no mechanical aptitude, the course at Halls would be helpful. It would give him a deep understanding of how regulators work. He would not be able to work on regulators, however, until he attends the manufacturer specific class.

 

[kimbalabala]

If he has little to no mechanical aptitude, the course at Halls would be helpful. It would give him a deep understanding of how regulators work. He would not be able to work on regulators, however, until he attends the manufacturer specific class.

He has a lot of mechanical aptitude (which I'm forever thankful for as we never has to hire anyone to fix things that break around the house - including hvac). Would it be necessary for him to have the backing of a shop to get the sort of training you are talking about - with specific manufacturers - or could he pay for the training?

 

[Wookie]

No, he must be sponsored by a dealer, but that is relatively simple.... Unless his local shop hates him.