dive master

[RJP]

As Independent Instructors, when we do DMs we ensure that they have complete & current copies of all their paperwork so that if the occasion arises for them to train with another Instructor, they can "plug in" to that activity & have that section signed off by that Instructor. We then ensure that we meet with the DM on an ongoing basis to compare & update the paperwork to reflect any changes.

That way the DMC has the opportunity to train with other Instructors as well as get their training done more expediently.

Interesting.

As the instructor who's name might ultimately end up on the back of the DM's card (ie: you are "certifying" that they are DM caliber) do you have any concerns about - or mechanisms to determine - the quality of the "sign off" by another instructor? Some other instructor's "4" rating might be a "2" in your book. Do you need to know/approve of any other instructor before allowing them to sign off on your DMC?

At the shop where I did my DM training we would work with many different staff instructors, but they are all known entities, adhering to the same, high-level of standards in evaluating DMC's, so not a problem. I'm just wondering if/how you exercise QC over a process you are not necessarily involved in.

 

[Diver0001]

There is a fairly stable desciption of what a 4 or a 2 is as far as PADI is concerned.

In fact, one of the strong points of the PADI system in comparison to systems where the instructor makes the judgement (ie. where the agency doesn't have the balls to step up to the plate and define it, which means the instructor is forced to improvise) is that the PADI system is highly predictable.

The down side of that, of course, is that a highly skilled PADI instructor has to account for his agency's limitations where as a highly skilled (naui) instructor (or similar) can compensate for his agency's failings more readily.

R..

 

[RJP]

There is a fairly stable desciption of what a 4 or a 2 is as far as PADI is concerned.

Sure, there's a fairly stable description of ALL standards for all courses, yet we see a wide discrepancy in the quality of certified divers vs those standards every day. I think we all agree that a major contributor to this discrepancy is the quality of the INSTRUCTOR. Isn't it reasonable to assume that the quality of "DM Instructors" varies widely as well? Just wondering how the instructor who signs off on the DM cert "knows" the quality of what he's signing off on.

 

[SubMariner]

Interesting.

As the instructor who's name might ultimately end up on the back of the DM's card (ie: you are "certifying" that they are DM caliber) do you have any concerns about - or mechanisms to determine - the quality of the "sign off" by another instructor? Some other instructor's "4" rating might be a "2" in your book. Do you need to know/approve of any other instructor before allowing them to sign off on your DMC?

At the shop where I did my DM training we would work with many different staff instructors, but they are all known entities, adhering to the same, high-level of standards in evaluating DMC's, so not a problem. I'm just wondering if/how you exercise QC over a process you are not necessarily involved in.

What rturner and rjp said are both valid. PADI does have fairly specific criteria when it comes to the grading system. A system that also carries over into Instructor and CD levels, BTW.

However, we are not operating in a vacuum. If a DMC is not consistent in h/h performance, then I would definitely be contacting the Instructor who signed off on a particular skill/concept for verification. At that point I could determine whether or not that Instructor is truly adhering to the spirit of the grading system.

 

[RU4SKUBA]

I had to do 7 internships with "live" students

That's great for you, and obviously advantageous, although its largely irrelevant to my point. Perhaps they simply felt you required more thorough training --as you advocate-- before you met Padi's criteria? Perhaps your skills were weaker than you remember? Doesn't matter...

My point is, if the dive center can provide the access to real training opportunities who cares how long the meaningless interval between?

To be fair a big CDC may have some advantages, also, including:

a) a wider array of challenging dive sites
b) larger classes to assist
c) a system designed to accommodate the needs of a dive professional rather than a typical dive center catering primarily to recreational divers
d) more courses offerings and more charters available on a predictable basis, so real instructional learning opportunities may be actually more thorough than your 7 internships

I'm not saying a class with 20 internships isn't better, I'm just saying the scheduling of the DM class should be considered largely irrelevant... all things being equal.

 

[soldaten1940]

Assuming you're academically prepared and able to perform the 20 skills to Padi's satisfaction it could be anywhere from 5 days to 4 weeks, or longer... depending on the dive op and their level of business.

Some Career Development Centers cater to those who want an immersion style, as opposed to every other weekend for two months types. Benefits to both and weaknesses.

 

[Elkfriend]

My goal, when I retire in a few years, is to be able to assist disabled veterans thru scuba. there are several organizations in US that provide that service. I am not looking for compensation, I have been fairly successful and just want to give back. I served in Vietnam about 40 years ago. I was lucky and came back in 1 piece. My father & father-in-law were both in WW II and came back without significant injury. So our family has been blessed. I beleive that rergardless of your feels about the conflicts our service men and women fight we need to support them. Those old enough to rememmber, when many came back from Vietnam they were not given the respect etc they deserved for serving.

.....too much information for me... BUT - you could take the DM course AFTER you are retired, then you have time to do it (and do the veteran stuff you mentioned earlier)

 

[Chris Hipp]

I've been working on mine for over a year now...just need to do my underwater map and retake a couple sections of the exam. I couldn't imagine cramming it all into one week.