Why do I need a Nitrox certification?

[Thalassamania]

Peter I am interested to find out whose 3 minute course you are teaching? What I mean is which agency?

Cheers.
Roger

The "Agency of Good Sense" I assume.

 

[DevonDiver]

Peter I am interested to find out whose 3 minute course you are teaching? What I mean is which agency?
r

It's the same agency that now markets the "5-Minute Scuba" course.

Module 1. Don't hold your breath
Module 2. Follow the guy who identifies himself as a 'divemaster'.

 

[Sat Diver]

And how is this "Chinese whispers syndrome" different from much of the claptrap that is passed of as diving "education" by those "professional" instructors who are capable of doing little more than repeating what their instructor and/or CD told them?
.

Thats the unfortunate reality of the system of education being passed off as adequate these days. I am unfamiliar with the requirements for open water and nitrox certification, but have seen alarmingly bad and ill informed divers of late. I was always under the impression that they were self taught, or not taught at all. Perhaps its a case of the standards dropping to the lowest possible level.

What really is the solution ? This problem seems to be seeping into the commercial diving world.
The quality of applicants for Tenders or Panel Techs has dropped to the level of being downright dangerous.
Very mediocre schools that seem to be doing the absolute minimum to pass their students is the way it is now.
I see great institutes like Fort William also jumping on the price cut bandwagon.

 

[Thalassamania]

Solution?

Divorce one's standards from the recreational world as much as possible, defend one's community against all inroads by the recreational diving world as possible.

Stop issuing recreational diving credentials, as a convenience, for entry level members of one's diving community (e.g. commercial, military, scientific, PSD), it only lends unintended credibility to the recreational credentials. Stop recognizing recreational credentials, at a level as having any meaning what-so-ever within your own community.

I make the same suggestion to the technical and cave divers, but they're likely too far down that path to be helped.

 

[Bombay High]

Solution?

Divorce one's standards from the recreational world as much as possible, defend one's community against all inroads by the recreational diving world as possible.

Stop issuing recreational diving credentials, as a convenience, for entry level members of one's diving community (e.g. commercial, military, scientific). Stop recognizing recreational credentials as having any meaning what-so-ever within your own community.

I agree. There is no place for recreational training in the world of commercial diving (and I know Sat Diver agrees with this).

The certification is meaningless even at an entry level.

There was a discussion about this on the commercial divers sub forum.

 

[Whatevva]

I've just recently completed the Nitrox cert, and I've just poured over all 9 pages of this, and have 3 things to say to the OP.

1. If I ever sell Nitrox, you won't get any.

2. If I'm ever driving the boat, you won't get on with Nitrox tanks.

3. If I'm ever looking for an Insta-buddy, you won't be it.

 

[diverrex]

To the OP:

I wouldn't sell you Nitrox but I'd dive with you.

 

[Rogersea]

The "Agency of Good Sense" I assume.

This is a real question.

If I am issuing certifications through any agency my agreement with them requires me to follow "standards". If I disagree with their philosophy, marketing practices or (fill in the blank), I can choose not to issue those certifications, but surely I should abide by the signed agreement.

Cheers,
Roger

 

[Thalassamania]

I did not read Peter saying anything about certification. One of the problems I have with lots of PADI instructors (Peter, John and some others clearly excepted) is their inability to understand the difference between teaching and certification.

 

[boulderjohn]

I did not read Peter saying anything about certification. One of the problems I have with lots of PADI instructors (Peter, John and some others clearly excepted) is their inability to understand the difference between teaching and certification.

Peter was clearly describing a situation in which he gives his students simple and clear advice outside of the parameters of the training requirements. I suspect pretty much everyone does this to some degree. The difference among us is the size of that degree.