Instructor internship... to do or not to do
- Thread starter charlie78
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It might be good to have more practical experience, diving in different conditions, before doing this. 16 - 50 feels kind of light, unless you expect to be doing a lot more diving, under different conditions, prior to starting the course.
Diving is one activity where "Those who can, do, those who can't, teach" doesn't cut it. At least for me, I want an instructor who has racked up some dives, has the experience, is able to relate the Oh @#*& dives that he/she has been on. In my area we have current, depth, wrecks, dry suits,...; my instructor has experience in all of them, multiple dives. It takes time blowing bubbles to build up that knowledge, not something that's taught in a short time.
This isn't meant to knock courses, but to express an end-user/client view.
Diving is one activity where "Those who can, do, those who can't, teach" doesn't cut it. At least for me, I want an instructor who has racked up some dives, has the experience, is able to relate the Oh @#*& dives that he/she has been on. In my area we have current, depth, wrecks, dry suits,...; my instructor has experience in all of them, multiple dives. It takes time blowing bubbles to build up that knowledge, not something that's taught in a short time.
This isn't meant to knock courses, but to express an end-user/client view.
Be careful, you might end up a 90-day wonder. Getting the card doesn't mean you have the experience to live up to the card.
200 dives on a 3-month internship...
hmm..that makes it...errr...2.something dives per day + all the other things ya need to do...sounds like a lot of hard work...
I started my DM when I had done about 100 dives, went slow..had about 200something dives when I finished it....
will probably do my IDC next summer...should be up to almost 400 by that time...
meaning I'll have at least some of the experience that Mark mentioned
but then - that's me...
hmm..that makes it...errr...2.something dives per day + all the other things ya need to do...sounds like a lot of hard work...
I started my DM when I had done about 100 dives, went slow..had about 200something dives when I finished it....
will probably do my IDC next summer...should be up to almost 400 by that time...
meaning I'll have at least some of the experience that Mark mentioned
but then - that's me...
charlie78:
Frankly, 3 months is not enough time to learn to be a good DM. You need a wider base of experience & knowledge than you could get in that limited amount of time.
As for the fact that "they say you get a minimum of 200 dives during the internship" all that means is doing the same set of 3 or 4 dives 200 times. It's about QUALITY, not QUANTITY.
Just my $0.02's worth,
SubMariner:
Excellent points. You need to have 200 dives in a wide variety of differing environments and conditions. I.E. Deep dives, drift dives, easy dives, hard dives etc etc
Alot of instructors have gone straight from DM class to the Idc. To say that you need to do a bunch of dives in different locations is a great idea but not so easy for some of us with low funds. Those of you who are in the training side know what I'm talking about. I think being an intern where you do 200 plus dives between DM and the IDC is alot more then most of us have had. I think it will be a great experience and hard work but worth it. And you will be ahead of alot of other new instructors with the experience you get there. Good luck!
I did a type of internship back in the late 80's and as a BSAC to PADI cross over it was the best way to get to know the system, I also got to do a ton of dives and meet loads of different people at differing experience which was a eye opener, how much I knew or thought I did and how each person can teach you something.
Also as a networking tool it can't be beat I had great time working both the diving and the tank filling and office places learning the whole job not just how to dive with a customer but why he comes to you and why he should come back.
Also as a networking tool it can't be beat I had great time working both the diving and the tank filling and office places learning the whole job not just how to dive with a customer but why he comes to you and why he should come back.
Not trying to have a go at you Michelles as you do make some valid points.michelles:
However lets say 2 divers turn up to an IDC.
Diver 1 has 100 dives, the majority of those dives were performed sitting on a platform 30 ft down logging time.(Don't laugh-this actually does happen)
Diver 2 has 200 dives, with plenty of varied experience in differing environments, deep dives, wreck dives, nitrox dives, drift dives and a few shallowish shore dives.
Diver 3 has 300 dives but they have all been done in one or two locations, mainly shore dives over the road from the shop.
Which diver do you think would be able to draw on more experience for his students?
I agree however that it is not always possible to acheive this due to locations and funds, however it is more desirable and something every instructor candidate should strive for.
I have been on an IDC where all 3 of those divers attended. You could tell the diver that had the most experience...
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