I am fairly new to diving so my opinion may not matter much but what the hell...
First, all of my training was done through PADI (Rescue as of now). This was almost entirely because of where I was diving. I got OW certed in Guam. I think almost everything there is PADI. If someone else is teaching there, I didn't know about it. On top of it, I knew jack squat about diving before my OW cert (not that I knew much more after). Asking me to pick an agency is like asking me to pick a rubber compound to make tires out of.
My next experience with PADI was in Thailand. Once again, the shops I went into were PADI. PADI was all I knew so I had no reason to switch. On top of it, I wasn't into driving all over Thailand looking for a different organization to dive with for a few days.
Lastly, my Rescue course was PADI because that dive shop condenses the training into shorter times. In other words, instead of having a class a week for two weeks, they do it over a weekend. I am in the Air Force and I am gone 2-3 weeks out of the month so I can't sign up for a class that is spread out over 2-3 weeks because I will not be here. This will become more of a problem as I try to advance my training beyond where I am now.
My LDS just switched to SSI. The biggest advantage I can see right now is the lower costs to take a class. My LDS charges you for the class, period. The only additional cost is if you need rental gear. The class cost includes books, videos, etc. I, personally, am sick of the PADI way where I sign up for a $400 course, only to be told I need $50 worth of books and worthless videos that can only be purchased at the dive shop. Then I need the PIC card for another $40, again only sold at the dive shop. The extra costs have made it to where I do not plan on taking another PADI class, ever, if I can help it.
On the topic of SDI/TDI taking over PADI's #1 position...While in Thailand, I was drinking a beer with the owner of the dive shop I was diving with. He said that PADI was losing ground quickly in that area of Thailand. The shops were tired of the costs (aka wanting to be a "five star training facility"). Obviously, I am new but I too see the day that PADI loses its position. It won't be overnight. As someone else posted, if people were to compare the costs, almost anything would appeal more than PADI. This is especially true if people compare the total costs of training beyond their OW cert, as $100-$200 per course adds up quickly.
I am not intending this to be a PADI bash. I had some good instructors. I just think the costs have gotten out of hand, especially for what you get. I am all for my instructors getting paid well, especially the ones that go above and beyond.
My interest and goal is to get into tech diving. I am far from there right now and I am not in any hurry. That being said, as a one-day-potential-student, I would rather a person teaching me have more training and experience beyond the level I will have after completing the course. If I am taking any class, I want my instructor to have taken and taught classes well beyond what I am taking. If I am taking Intro to Tech, I want my instructor to have taken and taught something higher than that class.
If I were looking for instructors, and I knew to ask, I would want to know which instructors were qualified to teach beyond the current class I was signing up for. Obviously someone qualified to teach well beyond my level would appeal to me as I would expect them to be a better instructor. More importantly, if I were to have a good relationship and positive experience with the instructor, I would want to have the option of going to that person for additional training.
The problem as I see it is availability. The higher training level you seek, the fewer people there are teaching it (probably true of most sports/hobbies). Around our immediate area, there were two TDI facilities that I was aware of. The only TDI instructor from one facility didn't renew his ability to teach TDI courses because there was little to no demand. From what I've heard, he hadn't taught a TDI class in 9 months.
So as I progress in training, I go to the remaining TDI training facility in my area. I go in and sign up for an intro to tech class, I would want to know that my instructor is a tech diver, not a recreational instructor that took the class he/she is about the teach me.
As I mentioned, I am new. My opinion may be worth little. I am glad the original author posted so much information. Whenever I finally get to the point of taking intro to tech, I will know to ask more questions about who is teaching the course. Thanks for the thought provoking information.
