Becoming a Repair Tech--Who Pays?

[talonraid]

I know you have to go to the various repair clinics to become a technician for a certain brand of gear.

However, who typically pays for this course? I just started working recently for a LDS and they almost immediately asked me if I would go to a Scubapro repair clininc in May. I said "sure", since I have always been interested in the repair technician part of this sport and I thought it would be another feather in my cap.

Then they told me the tuition would $200 and I would need to travel to Houston on my own dime and pay for a hotel, etc., etc. I still would like to attend the clinic, but I started wondering if this is the way it's usually done, or if other LDS pick up the tab or at least a portion of it normally.

Perhaps I've just been in the military too long and I am used to training being paid for by our tax money. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[tstonedvr]

Mine pays but we try and work it so they are not out anymore than needed....plus I will pay what I think is my part....perhaps you could wait till DEMA and hit several clinics...books from Airspeed press (Oxyhacker) and Scuba Tools (when they get going again) will put you several steps ahead in learning how all regs work. I've been working on regs for 12 years and I'm still learning.
Yarg

 

[pir8]

Depends on the shop. I've had a shop pay for a course but I had to get myself there and then I've paid for some myself.

 

[oly5050user]

I know you have to go to the various repair clinics to become a technician for a certain brand of gear.

However, who typically pays for this course? I just started working recently for a LDS and they almost immediately asked me if I would go to a Scubapro repair clininc in May. I said "sure", since I have always been interested in the repair technician part of this sport and I thought it would be another feather in my cap.

Then they told me the tuition would $200 and I would need to travel to Houston on my own dime and pay for a hotel, etc., etc. I still would like to attend the clinic, but I started wondering if this is the way it's usually done, or if other LDS pick up the tab or at least a portion of it normally.

Perhaps I've just been in the military too long and I am used to training being paid for by our tax money. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

The LDS should pay. They are the ones to benefit from you going.
Some store owners are just sooo cheap.Yes I totally understand it is a business(I owned an lds and sold it ,still operating to this day),but to be fair this treatment to you sounds harsh.
The LDS I teach out of now would never do something like that.The owner understands that instructors are underpaid due to what the market will bear,but still pays better than any other LDS I ever taught for,and appreciates us.
We had an instructor meeting last night for 2 hrs(7pm-9pm) and the owner had food and drinks for us while we were there and then advised us to put the time we were there on our timesheets to be paid for the meeting.Mind you alll the instructors there teach as a second job and it is not their full time occupations.Any owners reading this,do you do that for the staff?

 

[pir8]

I've had it both ways.
Been paid by the class and by the hour.
Around here its usually by the class.

 

[PinkPADIgal]

It depends. I normally encourage the staff to attend repair clinics, but do so at DEMA. I will pay for the clinics if it is necessary for the store. Recently, there was a repair clinic in Portland one of my staff attended. I paid for the clinic, and he traveled on his dime.

 

[Couv]

Hello Talonraid,

I've seen it done a couple of ways. The shop pays, but then expects the employee to work on rental/training gear AND customer gear while on company hours for no additional pay. I have also seen the arrangement where the employee pays their own way, but then is paid separately by the shop to repair customer equipment, usually per stage worked on. I learned it OJT working only on rental/training under the watchful eye of a trained tech, but now I wish I had the cert.

I think it would behoove you to get the course and certification while you can as this will come in handy later.

I agree with ts about the two books, both are well worth reading and having. Also search around for a few sites that have repair manuals and read throught them.

Here is a link to a great site:

Regulator manuals

couv

 

[Scared Silly]

Both you and the shop will benefit. However, if the shop did not hire you under the condition that you become a tech then they should be paying for it.

I would look at this way, if I pay for the training then I am a more valuable employee which means a raise should be in order. Or perhaps, the shop pays for the course but if I quit within a year I repay the costs. The latter is typical in employment benefits that cover tuition reimbursement.

Perhaps, they best way to approach it is that you are really interested in going but really can not afford the cost right now. See if they will pay for the tuition and you will cover the travel and lodging. Hopefully, someone else will be going to share in expenses.

 

[mike_s]

I know you have to go to the various repair clinics to become a technician for a certain brand of gear.

However, who typically pays for this course? I just started working recently for a LDS and they almost immediately asked me if I would go to a Scubapro repair clininc in May. I said "sure", since I have always been interested in the repair technician part of this sport and I thought it would be another feather in my cap.

Then they told me the tuition would $200 and I would need to travel to Houston on my own dime and pay for a hotel, etc., etc. I still would like to attend the clinic, but I started wondering if this is the way it's usually done, or if other LDS pick up the tab or at least a portion of it normally.

Perhaps I've just been in the military too long and I am used to training being paid for by our tax money. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

If it's necessary for the shop to have you attend, then they should pay. After all, they benefit from selling your services.

If you're just a part time employee that might do some work on regulators and not really a necesity for the shop, then it's optional and should be optional for the shop to not pay for it, or pay for all of it.

However, it's not uncommon for employers to levy employement length of time employed on training. Such as if you leave the company before one year after the training that you have to pay it back. This is important to ask. My past employer (not scuba related) had a 2 year requirement and had me going to take a class that the government required for my job. I didn't want to get locked into paying it back as I thought 2 years was a long time to levy and the government required me to go to the class for certificaiton for the job. In this case, my management approved the waiver.


However, if you are a full time employee there and you will be the primary person performing this task (regulator work), then I would suggest talking to them about paying for it. Have a list of justifications for them. If nothing else, and you really want to go, have them pay for half of it. After all they get a return on their investment.

 

[wedivebc]

I would suggest you pay for it yourself. That way the shop doesn't think they have an indentured servant and pay you peanuts. If they do then you are free to take your talents elsewhere.
Knowledge is power.