DevonDiver, I really agree with you. I am not a tech diver myself, but it doesn´t take much to understand the basics of what Tec diving implies. I think one of the main flaws of the PADI TecRec program is that it comes from an agency who thrives from the fact that there is no concise rejection policy, and very little student criticism.
To be fair, that doesn't really translate to the TecRec program. There is a system of assessments in place that the instructor
should use to ensure that the divers 'passes' rather than just attends.
This used to work fine, as for a long time the only folks teaching tech for PADI were already experienced instructors who had crossed-over from other agencies..and/or were a minority of well experienced tech divers in their own right.
Will this work fine in the future? Hmmm.... I can't see that same standard being applied by 'Mr. Joe Average', MSDT, who never was interested in doing a tech dive for the duration of their diving experience and spent the last XX years on his knees doing OW courses... but now rushed into a tech instructor qualification because it is a profitable trend for his dive centre...
The whole idea of positive reinforcement and basically no criticism on the student does not bode well with Tec diving INMHO.
It hasn't, and it shouldn't, been like that. Constructive criticism is key for any tech program. It's dependant on the instructor though - and recent trends in the tech community may impact on the quality of instructors being produced. That's not just PADI -
some of the other tech agencies are also guilty of 'mass import' fast-track to tech status instructor drives...
Rec diving has enough "padding" (no pun intended) that statistics work in favor of a system that encourages EVERYONE diving. Tec diving does not share the same padding. The sales pitch agenda of the "perfect pyramid scheme" that PADI really is has now turned into Tec as the solution to sell all those Instructors, MSDTs or fresh DMs somewhere else to go to. I have personally seen this is the new money making machine for Utila, Koh Tao, and every place that sells the "PADI dream".
Yep. Resorts can now apply for 'TecRec Centre' status. There'll be a big drive to up sales into tec diving for sure.
If you just watch PADI´s TecRec intro video (it´s called Equipment Considerations or something like that) it is really sad. Two "technical" divers kneeling in a swimming pool throughout the whole thing, one of them with split fins, using deco stages with Yoke valves, showing PISS POOR buoyancy control.
Agreed 100%. PADI
should start to develop a better awareness of that issue - especially as the issue of neutral buoyancy in training has been raised at a recreational level. It'd be an odd situation to have that standard filter
upwards from rec to tec.
That said, I never knew a TecRec instructor who
actually did teach on their knees. Again... that may change as more tec instructors are manufactured (er... I mean qualified).
The materials are really not that bad, but as is usual with PADI literature, it is really designed for you to pass their exams. It´s all about making it easy to even the most retarded person. I am sorry, but this is the truth. They promote you to learn the answers to the quizzes, not so much to actually understand the concepts.
Yes and no. The real 'learning' comes when the tec students have to apply that knowledge practically - in planning and conducting their dives. The exam can be aced... but the student shouldn't get the cert unless the knowledge is appropriately applied in the diving segment of the course.
what can you expect from an agency that promotes no one should ever fail,
Again, to be fair... PADI doesn't
promote, or even
encourage this mentality. In fact, they even give a number of effective options that enable 'failing' with a semi-respectable outcome; referrals and the 'Scuba Diver' qualification. It's individual business pressures that drive this motivation to 'pass regardless'.
Everyone is invited into PADI´s party, and TecRec is just their latest offering. It´s not so much that PADI´s program itself is flawed, because from what I have seen, it is not inherently flawed.
The program is fine. The application of the program is what matters. My concern is that PADI are doing to the tec instructor rating what they did to the IDC program. Zero to hero never creates a good instructor. That is
most applicable to tech.
I just don´t think that´s the idea behind a Tec program, and this will just hurt the reputation of the program. It is more about the agency and it´s philosophy than it is about the course and the materiales themselves.
Yep... that's my concern too. I'm quite concerned that my tec instructor status will be very devalued by the mass marketing of the PADI tec program. I also see that my quality operation will be damaged by a mass influx of tec providers, who will undercut the costs of properly run tec programmes by adhering to only the most basic enforced standards (as they do with rec training).