Cost of GUE/DIR training

fundamentals is a class that should be priced lower IMO

LiteHedded:

fundamentals is a class that should be priced lower IMO

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I disagree. Our instructors worked very hard during Fundies (and offered much support before and after). If you average out the per hour tuition fee, I paid about $10 per hour and left the class feeling that they deserved much more than $600.

Then add up the costs of all my other C cards and compare the knowledge learned during that training -- to the cost and knowledge imparted in Fundies. There is no comparison.

$600 for what we learned in Fundies, is an absolute steal IMO!

It limits the people who take the class though, and its a pipeline to the cave and tech classes.

I think its worth the money, but in the current economy, there are less people with $600 of disposable income.

i wonder when enough is enough. these classes keep going up and up while the economy goes down and down.

not everybody gets the same amount of benefit from a fundamentals class...

Market economics. If they keep filling classes, you can expect prices to keep going up. Not saying I like it, but it's reality.

Fundamentals has gotten to be a longer class, now 4-5 days and covers nitrox, and so I can see why its price has crept up over time. I think GUE having added the Primer allows a cheaper introduction, more akin to the old Fundies workshop and at a similar price point. I'm still happy with what I paid for Fundies and T1.

The cave classes on the other hand are getting scary expensive (at least in MX).

LiteHedded:

i wonder when enough is enough. these classes keep going up and up while the economy goes down and down.

not everybody gets the same amount of benefit from a fundamentals class...

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if people think that a class such as GUE fundamentals <is pricey>(as one said a 'conduit' to tech classes) then they are going to choke when they see the price of the actual tech courses and all the gear you need to buy to do actual tech dives, not to mention the weekend cost of gas, etc...

if people are already whining about price at the fundies level for the conduit reason, then maybe they need to reconsider going into tech diving.

whether or not i take tech 1, Fundamentals was worth every penny i paid, DESPITE the fact that i've already paid thousands of dollars for 'other' tech certifications through the years and my trimix C-card says i'm 'certified' to dive 300+... Fundamentals made my every day diving, my work diving, video diving, teaching, and even some of my day to day life things more efficient. sounds silly, but it's true (and generally i wouldn't be considered a slacker in any of those areas for the most part - except housework - but thats another story)

I took Fundies because i wanted to learn 'another' way, and be able to apply that to ALL my diving. Once I finally 'grok'd' it, thanks to Bob Sherwood (i took fundies twice cause i'm a knucklehead) i realized i wanted to be able to pay forward that knowledge and mentor other folks.

I have not taken Tech 1 yet, i have plans to, but quite simply finances don't allow at this juncture. It would be for the learning, not for the C-card, because technically i'm already certified beyond that level. So obviously i really like what the GUE instructors teach. I like the methods and i love the fully thought out reasoning, and i want more people to be trained in the methodology, so when finances allow, i'll lead by example but in the meantime if that means i put in 2 or 3 days (or more) a week mentoring, shooting video, helping balance rigs, letting people use gear, i'm happy donating my time and energy... it grows dive buddies... it makes better divers... it builds a community...

fundies can be taken as a base for going into tech, or as a terminal course just for people looking to get past a plateau in their recreational diving.

Primer is indeed a fantastic intermediary (and for some all they want out of the GUE program) for taking someone right out of Openwater or Advanced and ease them into the program, allowing them to experience more success and not get as frustrated as if they jumped right in to Fundamentals.

LauraJ:

if people thing that a class such as GUE fundamentals (as one said a 'conduit' to tech classes) then they are going to choke when they see the price of the actual tech courses and all the gear you need to buy to do actual tech dives, not to mention the weekend cost of gas, etc...

if people are already whining about price at the fundies level for the conduit reason, then maybe they need to reconsider going into tech diving.

whether or not i take tech 1, Fundamentals was worth every penny i paid, DESPITE the fact that i've already paid thousands of dollars for 'other' tech certifications through the years and my trimix C-card says i'm 'certified' to dive 300+... Fundamentals made my every day diving, my work diving, video diving, teaching, and even some of my day to day life things more efficient. sounds silly, but it's true (and generally i wouldn't be considered a slacker in any of those areas for the most part - except housework - but thats another story)

I took Fundies because i wanted to learn 'another' way, and be able to apply that to ALL my diving. Once I finally 'grok'd' it, thanks to Bob Sherwood (i took fundies twice cause i'm a knucklehead) i realized i wanted to be able to pay forward that knowledge and mentor other folks.

I have not taken Tech 1 yet, i have plans to, but quite simply finances don't allow at this juncture. It would be for the learning, not for the C-card, because technically i'm already certified beyond that level. So obviously i really like what the GUE instructors teach. I like the methods and i love the fully thought out reasoning, and i want more people to be trained in the methodology, so when finances allow, i'll lead by example but in the meantime if that means i put in 2 or 3 days (or more) a week mentoring, shooting video, helping balance rigs, letting people use gear, i'm happy donating my time and energy... it grows dive buddies... it makes better divers... it builds a community...

fundies can be taken as a base for going into tech, or as a terminal course just for people looking to get past a plateau in their recreational diving.

Primer is indeed a fantastic intermediary (and for some all they want out of the GUE program) for taking someone right out of Openwater or Advanced and ease them into the program, allowing them to experience more success and not get as frustrated as if they jumped right in to Fundamentals.

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now that you mention it, those are overpriced too

and the reasons for the price increase (at least here) are quite amusing

$600 is a bargain considering the humongous effort and time commitment of the instructor. I certainly agree with Laura's comments on the subject...

PfcAJ:

It limits the people who take the class though, and its a pipeline to the cave and tech classes. I think its worth the money, but in the current economy, there are less people with $600 of disposable income.

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LauraJ:

if people think that a class such as GUE fundamentals <is pricey>(as one said a 'conduit' to tech classes) then they are going to choke when they see the price of the actual tech courses and all the gear you need to buy to do actual tech dives, not to mention the weekend cost of gas, etc...

if people are already whining about price at the fundies level for the conduit reason, then maybe they need to reconsider going into tech diving..

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I agree with Laura.

Rainer:

The cave classes on the other hand are getting scary expensive (at least in MX).

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How much is Cave 1 in Fla?

kathydee:

I agree with Laura.



How much is Cave 1 in Fla?

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2000. used to be 1500...