Independent DM/Instructor?

[Heatheroe]

My husband is doing the e-learning now and will do the CW and OW dives while on vacation in the Bahamas this summer. We know the instructor very well as we've been diving with him 3 times before on resort courses. I just found out today that he left the shop/resort we had dove through previously and is going independent. I checked online at PADI.com and this shop/resort didn't even come up, much less this DM's name so how do I know it's all legit? Sorry, I don't know how the whole DM and instructor thing works. We'd really like to stick with this guy but you know how things in the islands go sometimes.

 

[TMHeimer]

PADI Instructors can either work at a shop/resort or independently. The PADI (pro) site has a "pro chek" to find out the teaching status of members. You'd have to know his "PADI" (Instructor) number (if you did a course with him it would be on your cert. card). Then you'd have to go to a shop or someone who could access this. Knowing his teaching status won't tell you where he is. That's all I can think of. I had a heck of a time locating a former Instructor I had.

 

[Heatheroe]

Oh wow, seems rather complicated. You would think it would be a lot easier, like checking the status of a physician's medical license. I mean, we are doing something that could potentially be life-threatening. But then again, I guess the same could be said for those jet ski operators or parasail vendors. Thanks for the info.

This is a small rural island and I doubt there are very many instructors so we will have to do some digging.

 

[tc]

PADI pro check is available to the public- PADI Pro Chek
As long as you know their PADI number you can check them.

 

[diversteve]

much less this DM's name so how do I know it's all legit?

DM or Intructor? If he's only a DM, he can't certify your husband's OW Referral. Neither can an Assistant Instructor.
Both are supposed to be directly supervised by an OWSI during any training also.

Only an OWSI - Open Water Scuba Instructor or higher can. Independent or shop-affiliated is acceptable.

 

[Heatheroe]

Thanks everyone. I will find out. And I REALLY didn't mean to offend any instructors out there by making that comparison. Big faux pas on my part. sorry!!!

 

[iztok]

Why would you wait until your vacation time? There are tons of good instructors in NC that could teach you and get you certified (both CW and OW) before your vacation here locally (depends where you are I can do private or group if you are in Charlotte or nearby). This way you can enjoy your vacation diving instead of going through the certification. Just a thought.

---------- Post added April 19th, 2014 at 11:36 PM ----------

Thanks everyone. I will find out. And I REALLY didn't mean to offend any instructors out there by making that comparison. Big faux pas on my part. sorry!!!

Don't think anyone was offended. I think there was just a correction. Some people don't realize that DM can't even do initial OW dive for Discover Scuba Diving. Only additional OW dives (under indirect supervision) can be done by DM.

 

[CamG]

Hello Heather you asked the proper question looking for the answer should not have offended any instructor.
I have helped several independent instructors and they have been quite busy with training.
Seek the status on PADI Pro Chek then decide what you want to do, no pressure, not to worry about it.
It is very possible that your DM has went on to become an instructor and chosen to operate independently of the Resort.
I do not know this for certain but that is one logical step he or she could have taken.

I hope the rest of your training goes well and where ever you both choose to train have fun and enjoy it.
I would encourage you as well to consider your local options just to broaden your diving group and look into a club.
These are fun and great for gathering information about gear and diving.
Good luck and good training.

CamG

 

[scubadiver888]

As people have been pointing out, there is the PADI Pro Chek. You just need the instructors PADI number and it will tell you if they are qualified to teach. In order to teach a PADI instructor has to be above Divemaster. I'm a Divemaster (first level of professional accreditation) and therefore not qualified to certify someone to be a scuba diver.

The other thing the instructor needs is valid renewal (we have to renew our membership every year) and insurance. If you enter my number into the PADI Pro Chek you see that (a) I am not authorized to teach (no insurance) and (b) I have not renewed since 2013. A valid instructor will indicate they are (a) higher than Divemaster (OWSI, MSDT, CD, etc. are all qualified to certify OW divers). Pro Chek will also give you the name of the PADI professional.

You can find a link to Quality Management at the bottom of any PADI web page. The Quality Management page will have a link to Pro Chek and links to consumer alerts. There are times someone is pretending to be someone they are not, members get expelled, etc.. The consumer alerts will warn you about this. In general the Quality Management has a lot of good information about instuctors/shops which are legitimate and ones which are not.

You can also email PADI if you have further questions.

 

[Steve_C]

Any chance that the DM? signed a logbook even though your are not certified yet? Many DM and/or instructors sign with the certification number in addition ot their signature or in place of it.

Where in NC are you?