Pervasive "Going Pro" Theme in New Divers

[LakerPride]

I'll admit right up front I have not read all the posts in this thread but did want to add as some others may have. I am a newbie still, after ten years of sparse diving. I am not ashamed to be a newbie, or admit that I have pro aspirations. The difference is that my route to pro includes me diving for another decade on a consistent basis until I feel comfortable with the thought that someone is putting their faith in me to ensure their safety. I am having too much fun right now pushing my own limits to saddle myself with a student. I think the misconception is that being an instructor or DM is the pinnacle of diving. That's far from the truth as far as I have seen. I have seen some instructors that are good in the water but honestly most are simply adequate. To this day the best divers I have come across were the wreck divers I have been around. The preparation they put into each dive is remarkable. Obviously this is all just my opinion but, one day all you old crotchety "pros" will be gone and all us "newbs" will take your place and complain about all the new kids who think they can replace us after a year of diving. Oh well life goes on

 

[Thalassamania]

Do you have any links to published versions of these reports? Can you tell when it was you did this work?

All the NUADC reports are available on RUBICON.

 

[sixt3denied]

I think this is an interesting thread but I'm a little put off by the eliteist attitude some of you guys have about people who are starting out as if they are babes in the woods without a clue about what they want to do. "Newbies"? reall? Why the label? I'm new at this. I've put off diving half my life because I always though it was too expensive for me. I've wanted to be a diver ever since my mother forced us to wathc Jacque Cousteau on tv in the 60s and 70s. Once I started diving I knew that at some point I would like to have a retirement career that I love because social security and a pension just won't cut it. Will being a DM do it?....from listening to you guys nobody should get involved in diving instructing because there is no money in it. So why should I bother? I had a dream that when I retire I'd like to buy a boat and work out of an exotic resort doing scuba and fishing charters. Part of getting to that goal pushed me to getting certified and pursuing a DM/Instructor certification......and yes.....I only have 24 dives......go ahead guys.....let the insults fly....

I'm on the same page as most of the quote above. Although I have been certified for over 20 years I am ultimately still a "newb", as I took a break from diving for several years due to marriage and family responsibilities. I am just getting back into the sport - but i have always had a "dream" of being a Divemaster and maybe one day an Instructor. This has absolutely nothing to do with PADI's marketing, nor was the idea put in my head by my Instructor back when I was certified in 1991. I also love to ski. I have always had the same idea skiing - becoming a ski patrol one day and spending my time skiing for a ski resort while making some $$$ doing something I love.

I believe its simply that there are few sports/activities that are as exciting as Scuba diving (or skiing) that also offer a clear path to turning the hobby into a career. That is the allure. Granted I know that you won't get rich from either of the above - the fields clearly are saturated - but the dream of retiring, and moving to a tropical location and maybe getting a job with a Dive operation as a DM or Instructor is an awesome thought. Same as moving to a cold climate and getting a job with a ski resort - spending my days skiing the mountains while assisting fellow skiers. If I could do either one day - and scratch out a little extra $$$ while doing a hobby I love! - WOW!! What a great retirement it would be!

Just my .02 cents.

 

[Jungho Kim]

I am currently training for my DM right now and the primary motivation is to learn as much as I can about this awesome sport... I also find that it is a great way to meet people in the local dive community... I have a very fulfilling day job that provides me the ability to travel and dive the best destinations in the world and I won't be leaving that to become an underpaid DM... One day, I do see myself becoming an instructor to expose new divers to this wonderful sport... but again, not for the income... In fact, I would do it for free!

 

[Bob DBF]

Perhaps that's it ... because as I said earlier it's (Newbie) not meant as a derogatory term in common scuba usage ... it simply is an easy word to signify that the person is an inexperienced diver. No one I know uses the term in a demeaning way. You can choose to take it that way if you like ... but don't expect people to stop using it simply to please you. If you're going to become a scuba professional, it's best if you start learning the language the way others in your field use it.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Personally I don't use the word "Newbie" (first time) 'cause it has no purpose for me. If I did use it, it would be without malice. Should I want to make it demeaning, I would select appropiate adjectives to convey the point.
Most of the time I see the term on the board, a new diver uses it on themselves hopeing to get an answer without some of the extraneous commentary that can be added.

Posters write what they want to say without rereading and correcting for clarity. Viewers read what they see without giving the poster the benefit of the doubt for his intent. The exchange that follows may be amusing to an onlooker but wastes time coming to any understanding.

The punchline is; An instructor (or DM) has to look through an ill worded stupid question, understand what the student is asking (even though it was covered not two minutes ago) and give an answer the student will understand, while keeping a positive and enthustic demeanor for the class. I've seen it in all kinds of classes and I work hard to not be that student or an instructor.





Bob
-------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I encourage questions ... it's one way for me to gauge how well the student comprehends the material we're covering. There are no stupid questions ... not, at least, if they're sincerely asked. My favorite questions begin with the word "why".

The way I see it, if a student has to ask a question about something I covered not two minutes ago, then perhaps it's because I didn't do a very good job of covering it. Or perhaps I covered it fine, but not in a way that it was well received by the student. If that's the case, I'd prefer to know about it in real time ... while the thought is fresh ... so I can find another way to explain the concept.

My best students are the inquisitive ones. They may not always be the most skilled, but they're the ones who are putting real effort into the class ... and therefore the ones who will get the most out of it. It's not difficult to be positive and enthusiastic with those students ... it's the ones who just sit there and try to skate through the class without putting anything into it that I have trouble dealing with.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TMHeimer]

I am currently training for my DM right now and the primary motivation is to learn as much as I can about this awesome sport... I also find that it is a great way to meet people in the local dive community... I have a very fulfilling day job that provides me the ability to travel and dive the best destinations in the world and I won't be leaving that to become an underpaid DM... One day, I do see myself becoming an instructor to expose new divers to this wonderful sport... but again, not for the income... In fact, I would do it for free!

I like your approach to diving and new divers. I would doubt saying you'd do it for free would endear you to many instructors.

 

[TartanFrog]

I am relatively new to diving and will admit that I HAD aspirations of becoming a DM and eventually an instructor. Part of the rationale for entering the professional side of diving was definitely the marketing of the agency and shop. The other part of the desire was because I actually enjoy teaching (retired military, martial arts, etc.) and seeing the progression of the students. So for me the sometimes not so gentle pushing of the shop was acceptable. A professional career has been presented as a great way to enhance diving skills, get additional training, get some pretty decent perks, get some travel paid for, etc. However, I am quickly coming to the conclusion that I DO NOT want to pursue a professional career in diving. At least not at this time.

Like in many industries and businesses, the bottom line IS the bottom line. The business of running a dive shop or a dive certification industry requires a constant inflow of revenue. Yep that is intentionally a NO DUH statement! My experience over the last two years has shown me that marketing and sales of training is a key to the lifeblood of the agency and dive shops from both the instructor and the shop perspectives. Clearly the instructor needs to instruct in order to get paid and of course the shop gets paid for the instruction and also the materials. That is not the issue I have. I have also observed that instructor stats are hyper critical, especially when an instructor is trying to move up the food chain, and that causes some seriously dysfunctional behavior among the staff. In a town where political BS is the norm, I have seen more than my share of crap.

So I guess my bottom line is that I am re-thinking my desire to become a dive professional.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What a lot of people don't seem to realize is that turning diving into a business can actually reduce your diving opportunities ... or turn most of your dive time into classes, which is not the same thing as going out for a fun dive with your friends. I was surpised the other day when one of the guys who runs my favorite local shop told me he hasn't been on a non-class dive yet this year ... :shocked2:

That's how dive instructors burn out ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[RonFrank]

Actually guys from the POV of a diver with 50-70 dives my interest is in improving my skills and diver safety. It just happens that the courses to improve my skills point me towards becoming a DM. Do I ever see myself being a professional diver.NO but I sure do want to be as safe and efficient diver as I can

If you want to improve you gopher skills DM is a great way! You will learn to carry tanks, to pass out paperwork, to load a truck and the all important student herding! I do have a couple friends that did this the "right" way. They hooked up long term with a shop that does not get enough student DM business so the shop needed a DM that was reliable and consistent. This is in smaller markets like ABQ.

In Denver they constantly have new DM flesh so they do not have to fill that DM position. Your prospects after DM are NULL other than AI and then I. There is the reality, do it because you love to teach, not because you like to Dive. If you want to teach you may want to move to FL where diving is year around and scuba is more of a full time profession. At least if you live on a Coast boating is a big part of the culture.... Denver not so much!