When did the breakdown in training occur?

I have a question for you divers and instructors that have been around since before the training got watered down.
Anybody that was not around and doesn't know the facts, please refrain from throwing in your 2 cents. I want to know from people that were actually there and saw this first hand.

I constantly hear about how the training used to be back in the day. I want to know once and for all just for my own education when (what year/time frame) this breakdown in training occured and who was responsible for it.
Was this an incremental slow softening or was it a one time radical reorganization of standards?

Here's what I know so far:
I spoke to an older instructor who told me bits and pieces of how and when this happened but he is never really clear on facts. Somewhere around the late 70's or early 80's the training broke down to allow the industry to become more family friendly and all inclusive. That was about the time of the first DEMA show and the time frame when PADI was formed, which was the main agency that was responsible for the "new standard". A bunch of shops and instructors (?) got together and agreed that training was too hard and too many people were being denied certifications. The sport was going nowhere and something had to be done. Compound that with many tropical vacation spots opening up and the need to get people underwater within a few days so they could enjoy the pretty fish and voila! you have the 3 day course.

Is this fairly accurate?
Maybe someone with experience can fill in the details.

Thank you.

I disagree on a few points.

Changes were not made to be inclusive or to make classes easier. The longer classes are actually easier. Changes were made to satisify the instant gratification urge.

Changes were not made about the time PADI was formed. PADI started in the mid 60s (1966?) and had high standards at least through 1977 (I have copies of PADI standards from 1972 & 1977).

My understanding is that the changes came from PADI headquarters, not from shops and instructors, but I do not know that for a fact.

Also, changes were not made all at once. While many changes did take place at that time, changes continue to take place, PADI's swimming requirement wasn't dropped until 2000.

Walter:

I disagree on a few points.

Changes were not made to be inclusive or to make classes easier. The longer classes are actually easier. Changes were made to satisify the instant gratification urge.

Changes were not made about the time PADI was formed. PADI started in the mid 60s (1966?) and had high standards at least through 1977 (I have copies of PADI standards from 1972 & 1977).

My understanding is that the changes came from PADI headquarters, not from shops and instructors, but I do not know that for a fact.

Also, changes were not made all at once. While many changes did take place at that time, changes continue to take place, PADI's swimming requirement wasn't dropped until 2000.

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padi dropped the swimming requirement????

I got OW through PADI in 1985, and it was a 4 week course meeting twice a week for a 90 minute class and 90 minute pool session. We learned a lot of stuff that is no longer part of the curriculum, like emergency deco procedures and buddy breathing.

I have no idea when the changes occurred but change they did. My first certification in the late 60's was a comprehensive, arduous and intense course. When I got re-certified with my wife 3 years ago I was taken aback on how easy and simple it was.

I'm sure that the change came in small increments but change it did.

Teamcasa:

I have no idea when the changes occurred but change they did. My first certification in the late 60's was a comprehensive, arduous and intense course. When I got re-certified with my wife 3 years ago I was taken aback on how easy and simple it was.

I'm sure that the change came in small increments but change it did.

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I think your right about small increments. It's usually how things change. Diving wasn't going to grow if only strong adventurous younger swimmers could do it. I know at my age I could not dive the dives I did with the gear I had when I was 19. I can do those dives with a BC however. I'm guessing a large percentage of people that dive today wouldn't if they had to be able to swim long and hard. The hard fact is a lot of the work can be taken out of diving but very little of the danger. When the unprepared meet danger they often become news stories.
I had 12 weeks 4 hours a week of training, it was intense and inclusive and I'm glad I got the training
I did, its allowed me to enjoy many years of safe and independent diving. I had never been on a guided dive until 1995 when I went to Aruba. Water skills should be taken seriously when playing in the water.

I know this is not the common perception, but I'm not sure I am willing to agree to the OP's underlying assumption -- that the standards have been "watered down."

The training is certainly different today than it was in 1966 when I first got certified. But I got certified without EVER setting toe outside of a pool. Today I can't certify a student without having her do 4 open water dives.

In 1966 I didn't need to understand how a buoyancy compensator worked nor how to use it to adjust my buoyancy either using the power inflator or by orally inflating it. Today I can't certify a student without the student demonstrating at least some basic understanding of how that equipment works and how it can be used to make/keep you (the diver) neutrally buoyant at any place in the water column.

In 1966 I didn't need to understand different ways to donate a "safe second" -- whether by donating an "octopus reg" to a diver or donating the reg I'm breathing and putting another 2nd stage in my mouth. Today I can't certify a student without the student demonstrating that she can donate a second stage to an OOA diver while breathing her own 2nd stage.

I just disagree with the underlying assumption that just because I walked 2 miles to the pool, through the snow, in swim shorts, uphill (both ways) I was a better trained diver 40 years ago than the divers I train today.

I'd be willing to bet that if there was video of my first open water dive, in the spring of 1967, you'd see quite a bit of kicked up silt, not to mention sh***tty buoyancy control, lack of situational awareness, etc.

Methinks we forget a lot as time passes.

Walter:

I disagree on a few points.

Changes were not made about the time PADI was formed. PADI started in the mid 60s (1966?) and had high standards at least through 1977 (I have copies of PADI standards from 1972 & 1977).

Also, changes were not made all at once. While many changes did take place at that time, changes continue to take place, PADI's swimming requirement wasn't dropped until 2000.

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I started diving in 1969 and was top 10 spearfisherman in the Southwest Council, and being considered for an instructor rating for the SCIP program when I was certified a diver by a NAUI instructor certifying for YMCA in 1971. Everything was very "military" with strong swimming skills, a mile every swim session, and tough testing from the "New Science of Skin and Scuba".

It was the fall of 71 or spring of '72, I received an invitation to teach for PADI, and they would certify all my students, and I could use these class fees for a year to pay for a trip to california to take their instructor classes.

I was honored that they had heard of me in california. I was well known in Texas and Oklahoma for spearfishing. I didn't take them up on their offer. A few weeks later, a brand new diver, and new member of the dive club showed off his new "instructors card". . . He had gotten the same letter from PADI, including fluff about how outstanding a diver he was. We were picked as outstanding divers because we were the only two subscriptions to "Skin Diver Magazine in Southwest Oklahoma.

The time and training for PADI in 1972 was aimed at including everyone, male and female into an easy sport and passing almost everyone that enrolled. That's not necessarily bad, but it was a very big change.

I've known a couple of dive instructors that have been through the "watering down" of standards, and they still are turning out divers that keep diving. Strong emphasis on continuing education, and emphasis on making that first dive on your own after the classes end.

We all can help keep these new divers moving forward into underwater exploration. Helping people local to you posting on "Introductions and Greets". Meeting and offering help to divers that are at popular "check out dive sites" Build up new divers confidence, and show them where they can make easy dives, without stress. Give them easy goals, that they can achieve. . . Teach them how to find their first fish, if allowed, how to bait fish to come closer.

The standards are not the same, but they may be "good enough", if we experienced divers step in and pull those new divers into our sport. In 40 years, I've lost most of my old diving friends, to dropping out. But I've gotten new dive partners by taking people right out of certification and training them to love diving. I was helped before we could even find a dive instructor. It's easier now to get the process started. But now we need more non professional help pulling those new divers into enjoying our sport.

Peter Guy:

I know this is not the common perception, but I'm not sure I am willing to agree to the OP's underlying assumption -- that the standards have been "watered down."

In 1966 I didn't need to understand how a buoyancy compensator worked nor how to use it to adjust my buoyancy either using the power inflator or by orally inflating it. Today I can't certify a student without the student demonstrating at least some basic understanding of how that equipment works and how it can be used to make/keep you (the diver) neutrally buoyant at any place in the water column.
In 1966 I didn't need to understand different ways to donate a "safe second" -- whether by donating an "octopus reg" to a diver or donating the reg I'm breathing and putting another 2nd stage in my mouth. Today I can't certify a student without the student demonstrating that she can donate a second stage to an OOA diver while breathing her own 2nd stage.
I just disagree with the underlying assumption that just because I walked 2 miles to the pool, through the snow, in swim shorts, uphill (both ways) I was a better trained diver 40 years ago than the divers I train today.
Methinks we forget a lot as time passes.

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Peter, you had to walk uphill in the snow, too?

There were a lot of us that spent a lot of time and effort to become divers. . . and maybe a little bit of envy, or disappointment that new divers can get started in a shorter time. . . However, I started without instruction, with club members taking every effort to make my first dives easy walk ins from a sandy beach. . . showing me fish to swim with. Every step was made with an experienced diver taking me on easy dives, each skill was done with one on one guidance. I spent a tremendous amount of time with skilled divers pulling me along.

Today's divers have a fast track to certification. . . but often don't have anyone for those "next" dives. Where to go, who to go with, what to do if there's not an instructor telling you what to do.

Way to go Guy. . . in your post you are constantly mentioning "she" and "her" keep certifying the women. There are too few women diving, and we need that. You're my hero.

I think a lot of it is on the Agency and individual instructor.

I have been a YMCA and now a SEI instructor for 18 years........my class is constantly changing yet has changed very little except for improvements.

No we don't do 100 push ups in full dive gear, swim for miles, or tread water with 20lbs of weights on.........years ago there weren't BC's, octos, and pressure gauges. Diving wasn't as "easy" as it is now, nor was the training.
It is also safer due to the changes in equipment.

I think that for most dive training has become more practical and user friendly.

My goal is for my students to leave the class as a safe - confident diver.
If it take 8 or 10 classes.....we do the extra training.