Want to Learn/Need Advise PLS!

[Walter]

Lisa, I'll have to disagree with you on the PADI rating system. PADI doesn't actually have a rating system as most people think of rating systems. PADI has 5 star facilities and it has facilities which have no rating. There are no 1, 2, 3 or 4 star facilities. While I do not have the manual in front of me, there is actually very little a shop has to do to become a 5 star facility. They have to be in operation for at least 1 year, they can not offer another agency's courses (unless PADI does not offer the course in question or unless you are doing check out dives from another agency) and you must pay the 5 star dues. There may be a few other requirements I'm not remembering, I'll check tonight. In other words, becoming a 5 star facility has to do with paying money to PADI and agreeing to give PADI all your business. It has nothing to do with quality of instruction. If you are a PADI facility which also offers classes from other agencys you are ineligible. It does not matter if your courses are the best in history. If you offer PADI classes taught by a poor instructor you are eligible. If you meet all requirements, including offering only PADI courses and those classes are taught by the best instructor who ever lived, but you don't pay the dues, you get no rating. The 5 star facility concept is a method PADI uses to mislead the innocent and unsuspecting. It is a dishonest marketing tool and nothing more.

DSSW,

WWW™

 

[Dee]

Walter is right....Please don't judge the quality of instruction based on PADI's rating system.

 

[Marz]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your help and knowledge. I will keep you posted of my progress.

If you don't here from me "I went swimming with the fishes and the fishes won!!

Aloha and Merry Xmas
Marz

 

[Scubaroo]

Hey Marz,

I really recommend getting certified in Vic before you go to Hawaii. Learning to dive in Port Phillip Bay (cold water, low vis, etc) is a LOT better training than learning to dive in the tropics, and when you get to Hawaii you'll have more time to spend diving! I was certified at International Dive Centre at Rye (down along the Mornington Peninsula). If you can get down there, and you have time before your trip, see if Neil Cooper and his wife are still working as instructors through that store - I had contact with several instructors through that store, and they were by far the best!

Ben

 

[lisadives2]

Thanks for setting me straight guys. Obviously, their "marketing ploy "works, and works well. I apologize for the mis-information.
Lisa

 

[Walter]

Prerequisites & Requirements With my comments in blue. Yes they are my opinions; accept or reject them as you please.

1. Have been a renewed PADI Dive Center for at least 12 months and have no verfied PADI Quality Assurance violations within that period and no open quality assurance inquires in progress.

This means you've been paying dues for at least a year and haven't been caught violating standards.

2. Continue to meet all PADI Dive Center prerequisites and membership requirements.

You can't fall below the standards we set for those to who we don't give 5 stars.

3. Have been awarded all three Dive Center Recognition Awards including: 1) Education, You get this for churning out lots of students (quality doesn't count, only numbers. It is important to keep students returning for more classes). You also must give all your business to PADI. You must buy all the training materials PADI sells. You can't win this award if you've been caught violating standards. 2) Community Involvement You sponsor 2 events. One promotes diving, the other promotes diver safety. 3)Environment. You get this by displaying Project AWARE info, include environmental info in newsletters, sponsor a beach cleanup, install a mooring buoy or sponsor a project that generates information about the aquatic environment. Teach a course on Peak Performance Buoyancy (a BS course IMHO), U/W Naturalist, Project AWARE or Research Diver.


4. Distribute regular communications pieces designed to recruit & retain customers.

Advertise

5. Conduct at least one PADI Advanced O/W course, one PADI Rescue Dive course, one PADI DM or AI course and one PADI Specialty Diver course per year

Keep that $ coming.

6. Have issued at least 30% of total diver certifications for courses above the PADI O/W level.

7. Display items promoting dive travel, and promote dive experiences through various activities.

8. Conduct nontraining related local dive tours and/or dive travel trips.

9. Exclusively issue and advertise only PADI certifications for recreational scuba diving courses.

We don’t make any money when you issue cards from other agencies. We want all your business.

10. Not conduct, sponsor or advertise any non PADI recreational scuba instructor training programs.

See # 9.

11. Use the PADI system of diver education as designed, including all PADI manuals……..

You gotta buy all our stuff.

12. Ensure that all full-service dive operations in a multi-location operation are current PADI ……(various types of PADI facilities are listed)

We want dues from everybody you work with.

DSSW,

WWW™

 

[Arduous]

I gotta agree with lisadives2. You should get certified before making your tip if time allows. There’s nothing like having your dive instructor close to where you live. Should you have questions after completing your training, you can always take a drive over to your instructor and get your answer from him or her. Also should you decide to further your dive education with advanced open water or rescue diver and beyond , you will have an instructor that you have already formed a professional relationship with. This can make learning new skills even more fun.

Good Luck
Arduous

 

[Fishkiller]

We all know that PADI means Put Another Dollar In and that you can reach PADI customer service by dialing 1 800 PAY PADI

I do agree with you that it is quality, not quantity of learning that makes a good diver.