Pervasive "Going Pro" Theme in New Divers

[Davemohio]

My guess is that it is all about marketing as well.

Probably because of my introverted, conservative personality I was never asked to be a DM. By SDI or PADI folks.No worries. I went ahead and did it for myself.

Glad I did it.Good to see the business side of things.

But I do not work as a DM(anymore).

 

[TMHeimer]

Bob: Thanks for spelling out the "whys" of the scuba industry so well.
Jim: Couldn't agree more with your approach to new students & continuing courses.

Too bad there are those who are incapable of realizing they're just too new at it to think about DM. I only got an inkling well after 100 dives. Then again, since 1990 I've actually bought one item as a result of TV (media) advertising. If all were like me (TIGHT) the scuba industry would not exist.

 

[scubadada]

DM and OWSI seem like a good life to the newly minted diver, less so when you've had more experience and see how hard these folks work for such a difficult existence.

 

[mathauck0814]

Other sports do not have analogous agencies driving the industry ... for example, the PSIA (professional skiing instructor's association) does not impact the revenue stream of the ski industry to anywhere near the degree that the major scuba training agencies impact the diving industry. Ski shops are not affiliated with the PSIA ... training and product sales are completely separated. The dive industry doesn't work that way.

Ski shops are not, but ski schools certainly are and they and their employees pay membership dues. PSIA is analogous as well in that their entry level certification is just as watered down. I think perhaps the key difference is that you don't NEED to be PSIA (or equivalent in another country) certified to teach skiing and you MUST be certified by <agency> to teach diving. The business models are similar - the reason that the level 1 certification (and in large part level 2 as well) is meaningless is because if you fail people too frequently, they drop out and stop paying dues. At the top of the spectrum you can actually make a living, own a home and put your kids through college - there's probably a higher per-capita ski instructor than dive instructor in that regard. Even more once you get into the USSA certified level 2 and level 3 coaches (or the ISIA alpine guides). But frankly, because there are so few of those folks around (on account of the time commitment, the years making crap and the fact that a lot of folks just can't avoid a career ending injury long enough).

So if the difference between the ski instruction model and the dive instruction is the separation between the retail and the instruction, it seems like there's an opportunity there.

I acknowledge that diving is a whole different beast from climbing/rafting/skiing/cycling/sailing/golf, but it's still very strange to me to see people who are complete and utter newbies that take on the job of teaching others.

 

[Griffo]

I thought about it too when i first started diving. I considered "checking out" for a couple of months, and doing a DM course over in Thailand. Not that I ever wanted to teach, but the structure of the course, the warm water diving conditions, the fact that I would walk out with just about every cert I thought I needed sounded appealing. I still believe in the mantra that you learn more by teaching others, so I thought it would teach me more about my own diving then simply doing an 8 week diving holiday.

Hell, even typing this, taking a 2 month sabbatical to go dive in Thailand sounds pretty tempting on this cold rainy day here.

Just let people dream about a life of diving rather than the daily grind of their boring office job. The reality may not have the gloss it appears to to new divers, but don't kill their dreams too early

 

[smellzlikefish]

Unlike other action-sports, scuba diving can be fun or it can be a tool.

I think part of the "Going Pro" theme is the Cousteau effect where millions of people watched Jacques and his crew (and other like them) dive in exotica and imbibe gallons of red wine and thought, "now that's the job I want!" When, years later, those same millions took a scuba course, they were reminded of their childhood dream of being a marine biologist and thought their C-card gained them entry into the club. So they go through the PADI courses as fast as they can so they can to finally get paid to be a scuba diver like Jacques. It isn't until they are an instructor that they realize that it takes more than scuba certification to do more than teach people underwater. That and most research ships are booze-free nowadays.

 

[rmh84]

I'm a horseback rider - have been since I was 12, and I see the same precise thing with riders ALL the time. Kid takes a couple of years of weekly lessons. Maybe they go ahead and buy that well-trained old horse they learned on. They feel like they are hot stuff, and try to head off as a coach as soon as they hit 18 or so - figuring it's going to be easy cash (they know they pay their own coach sometimes up to $80 a hour for lessons).

Unfortunately reality kicks you in the butt pretty fast. You realize that just because you can do well riding steady old Eddy does not mean you have the skills to ride young inexperienced horses, nor do you have the skills to be able to properly articulate what exactly it is you do to another person. You also realize your coach gets $80 an hour because he or she has an extencive resumee to back that.

I find a similar parralel in diving. Divers want to dive. They want to dive so much that "wouldn't it be awesome if I could do it for work!" without realizing that the wages are not hot, and you've got expences. Nevermind no health insurance to speak of.

 

[Frosty]

hey Jim -I get where you are coming from but there is the flip side. Diver gets their OW and starts diving on their own -Is that all there is to it ? being the possible thought process if further training isn't discussed.

 

[DevonDiver]

I can't blame novice divers who discover the thrills of scuba diving and just can't get enough of it. 'Going Pro' seems to be the answer - you get to dive every day, live in the tropics and enjoy a fantastic lifestyle.... and you get paid for diving... not vice versa!

PADI definitely encourage this... right from the start. The OW DVD mentions DM training...and so do most course materials thereafter. Many dive centers are heavily committed to 'continued education' as this truly maximises their profits. The higher up the training ladder, the more money made from tuition, equipment sales etc. The dive 'pros' who work in those types of center are more 'salesmen' and less 'educators'. IMHO, very rarely do they consider the student's best interests when touting their sales pitches.

With respect to pro-level training (DM and Instructor) those salesmen do pander to the 'scuba dream' - selling courses upon the supposed merits of the lifestyle and employment opportunities available to the qualifed pro. Quite frankly, that's a huge deception. The dive industry is hugely competitive, few 'pro' qualified divers sustain a career in it... few even get a salaried job. Those that do work as pros do incredibly long hours for incredibly little money. The majority of the work isn't 'glamorous'... it is menial labor early in the morning and late at night... long before the customers arrive and long after they have departed. The diving isn't "fun", like the customers experience, because of the responsibilities and duties attached to it.

That's not to say that continued education isn't a bad thing. Training is good...and makes better divers. However, the training has to be 'real'...not an 'off-the-shelf'/'one size fits all' delivery of a product...and it needs to be targeted to the student's actual developmental needs.

One of the problems with PADI, SSI et al... is that they don't have any form of dive leadership course other than the DM level. There is a benefit from learning dive leadership - any diver can aspire to that. Few would argue that it was an irresponsible step. However, the DM course isn't just dive leadership... it's also a vocational course for working in the scuba industry...and an instructional assistant course. Those are elements that few divers need.

I see dive leadership as the skills, procedures and responsibilities of a 'senior' diver who mentors and supervises other, lesser qualified/experienced, divers. Whilst part of the DM course, it isn't the main focus of the course. However, it is something that does have a place within a dive community of people qualified to "dive independently, without need of professional supervision". BSAC, and other agencies, have 'dive leader' level. These are firmly differentiated from teaching assistant roles. That, IMHO, is a very good thing....and benefits the dive community immensely.

For the novice diver, who wants to progress in status and responsibility - then dive leadership is the core development that they should pursue. Employment in the industry and progression to teaching is just a distraction at those levels - and should be ignored. There is no way that a novice diver can realistically understand, or make an informed decision, about having a desire to work in the scuba industry. Likewise, there is no way they can honestly appraise their own suitability to become a diving educator.

If the desire is to live a 'tropical lifestyle' then there are easier ways. Getting bar or restaurant work is far easier and doesn't require the huge investment of time, money and effort.

Ok... so I might sound like a big hypocrite... because as I type this I am sitting in a wooden beach-side resort in the Philippines, enjoying a mango shake and watching the sun glitter on calm azure seas... chilling out after a 7 days of diving with customers and teaching scuba courses. That's not a bad life. That's what most of my customers see. They don't see the pressures of living here... the money issues, the relationship issues, the injuries, the exhaustion, the commitments and sacrifices I've made to be here. As they say... the grass is always greener on the other side. Sometimes I do envy those holidaymakers who come here... with money to spend...secure employment...quality healthcare...financial stability... On particularly bad days, I even think I might want to swap places with them.... but that's rare

 

[Kern]

In a nutshell; If you're an association of dive instructors, the more instructors/professionals there are, the better off the association. Ergo, push more professional class's.