How to Engage Younger People in Diving?

[Eric Sedletzky]

I “hear” that there is a percentage of young people that are opting out of college all together because of the ridiculous cost of tuition and realizing that it would take so many years to pay it off. The careers they seek wouldn’t generate the income needed to make it work. So instead they are looking at skilled trades instead and getting jobs as electricians, plumbers, HVAC, welding, construction, heavy equipment operators, etc. which offer apprenticeships and pay well over 100K a year (sometimes way more that that) once they get established. I was never able to go to bonafide college full time so I got into the trades, and now there is such a shortage of qualified people in the trades that they are desperate.
Thing thing is, it’s hard work and you have to be ready for that.
When I was young the thing was to go to college so you could have an easy cruise job. Now, a lot of those jobs got offshored and companies are cutting back on a lot of pay and benefits.
The trades were considered scumbag jobs that only low intelligence people would take because they were too stupid to do anything else.
It’s not like that anymore.
Find out what a BMW, Mercedes, or Tesla mechanic makes in the city and get back to me.

 

[king_of_battle]

So instead they are looking at skilled trades instead and getting jobs as electricians, plumbers, HVAC, welding, construction, heavy equipment operators, etc. which offer apprenticeships and pay well over 100K a year (sometimes way more that that) once they get established.

Or not. That's usually the top 1%...with some additional schooling.

Welding Won’t Make You Rich

I think you, compared to some others, have been pretty open about the economic challenges facing people as a barrier to entry into diving today. You've made great points, but even younger people going into the trades are hurting when it comes to disposable income for things like hobbies.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Or not. That's usually the top 1%...with some additional schooling.

Welding Won’t Make You Rich

I think you, compared to some others, have been pretty open about the economic challenges facing people as a barrier to entry into diving today. You've made great points, but even younger people going into the trades are hurting when it comes to disposable income for things like hobbies.

I know it’s harder for young people now then when I was young. The world has become a much more complicated and expensive place to exist.
But with hobbies, what a lot of us are saying is if you pick diving commit yourself and do it all-in. To many young people in my opinion are trying to do too much stuff. Their out mountain biking one weekend, then hiking, then they want to try this and that, wall climbing, etc.
I even see more and more indoor electric cart racetracks sprouting up.
I see more and more fun centers and amusement parks sprouting up. What about concerts, how much does the average ticket cost to see a live concert?
All this stuff adds up and takes resources away from diving, both time and money.
Diving requires a stronger commitment than just some random fun thing to do. I have given up a lot of other things to be able to be a diver. It’s a lifestyle.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I know it’s harder for young people now then when I was young. The world has become a much more complicated and expensive place to exist.
But with hobbies, what a lot of us are saying is if you pick diving commit yourself and do it all-in. To many young people in my opinion are trying to do too much stuff. Their out mountain biking one weekend, then hiking, then they want to try this and that, wall climbing, etc.
I even see more and more indoor electric cart racetracks sprouting up.
I see more and more fun centers and amusement parks sprouting up. What about concerts, how much does the average ticket cost to see a live concert?
All this stuff adds up and takes resources away from diving, both time and money.
Diving requires a stronger commitment than just some random fun thing to do. I have given up a lot of other things to be able to be a diver. It’s a lifestyle.

Again, we're talking about and looking for ways to entice young people to be interested in diving.

What created us older folks as divers is not working anymore.

It can't become a lifestyle until they've experienced it. So, I'm sorry Eric, but your lifestyle choices and how you became hooked may not inform us how to get young people involved.

First things first, dismissing what the young folk are telling us is unhelpful.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Don't movies like Aquaman or Finding Nemo create a curiosity or desire to be able to see these things oneself?

 

[Jcp2]

Here is a shop trying something different to get non diving traffic into the store. Best of luck to them.

Taking A New Spin in Diving Fitness: AQUACYCLING

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Again, we're talking about and looking for ways to entice young people to be interested in diving.

What created us older folks as divers is not working anymore.

It can't become a lifestyle until they've experienced it. So, I'm sorry Eric, but your lifestyle choices and how you became hooked may not inform us how to get young people involved.

First things first, dismissing what the young folk are telling us is unhelpful.

Well, I don’t know.
For some reason the older generations were naturally more enamored and curious about diving than the new generation is now.
I’ve spent exhaustive hours thinking about why and I can’t tell you. The new generation certainly knows what scuba diving is, it’s no secret, but they aren’t biting. I think it’s just a cultural divide, they are just not into it like we were.
“It can’t be a lifestyle until they’ve experienced it”. It’s not even on their radar to want to experience it, not even an inkling of desire. Like I said, they do know what it is, it’s not a brand new technology, but for some reason they don’t want to do it and they don’t think about it. The few that are on Scubaboard chiming in here are a very small minority of the ones that are not here.
I don’t know what more to say about it other than I’m going to focus on the ones who have recognized it and are into it. I’ll do my part to help them with gear and mentorship if they want it. I’m not going to go on a crusade to try and hard sell scuba to the younger generations, they need to figure it out for themselves.
Other than that I’m unsubscribing from this thread now because it has circles several times now and I have better things to do.
Thank you.
Out...

 

[KenGordon]

I have 10 minutes before some car-less, kit-less young people turn up to get a lift to a 8C inland site to finish their training...

Imagine you are 25ish and looking for exciting stuff to do. You’d like it to be feasible, preferably fun, maybe have other people doing it to meet and bragging rights on Instagram.

How does diving fit that? Or at least how diving is marketed.

Feasible? Diving is promoted with pictures of tropical destinations. That means flying. Flying is now a shameful thing, so no bragging rights. It isn’t also more expensive than not flying, staying in hotel etc.

Fun? If not flying somewhere warm how is it going to be fun? Certainly here your average person has no idea what lies below. We see a big up tick in enquires after TV programs like Blue Planet or Britain’s Secret Seas.

Meet other people? Honestly now, is a 25 year old going to be meeting people they want to meet? Or people as old as their parents or even grand parents? Nearly as much fun as going home for Xmas?

 

[Diving Dubai]

Again, we're talking about and looking for ways to entice young people to be interested in diving.

As usual SB reverts back to its insular outlook, where people extrapolate their local factors and experiences to a global view.

There are, I believe 2 factors. The first is allowing people their first experience. This is where the commercial organisations have their strengths, with their inclusive outlook (scuba for all).

The Second, perhaps harder is retention. Consider Scuba membership a pyramid. For every diver who becomes a Dive Pro or accomplished Tech diver, underneath there are countless others who stop at the first tier and with each intermediate tier the number of divers decrease.

Here, where I live most of my friends are divers, because it's warm and easily accessible. Without exception their children have had the opportunity to learn to dive. Most dive for 3 or 4 years in their early teens, with it then being back burnered as the needs of education and exams and other teenage experiences take precedence. Most in their 20's dive occasionally when beck with family, but its often not a priority. Either the kids have relocated to their home country or their circle of friends and subsequent interests and social activities means diving isn't a priority.

Only a tiny amount continue to dive regularly. But that's fine, they've had the exposure and have chosen their path and interests.

Those of use who frequent places like SE Asia will see that there is a thriving scuba diving Industry, full of young people from the world over, choosing to do what they want in locations they wish and with people of their own age. For a lot of people scuba diving is a vacation thing, much like those who pursue winter sports on vacation

Just because your local dive site/shop isn't inundated with young people, doesn't mean they're not engaged in the sport, its just they've chose to pursue it somewhere else (away from the curmudgeons)

 

[scubadada]

I have a different experience diving in SE Florida out of Boynton Beach, West Palm, and Jupiter. Many younger folks dive off the boats, including a fair number of girls and women. At 65, I am often the oldest or one of the oldest divers. Perhaps this is explained by how easy and readily available diving is in the area and by other outdoor, ocean related activities. It seems like a good proportion of the younger divers end up participating in lobstering and/or spearfishing, rather than just sightseeing. A large proportion use a GoPro or other simple video camera. Many of the younger divers are locals, however, there are a fair number of visitors, particularly during the better conditions in late spring, summer, or early fall.

The younger divers seem to be treated with consideration. I almost always dive solo, but frequently volunteer to take younger divers or other inexperienced divers with me to gain experience in drift diving. I really enjoy the diversity of age and gender in the diving I do in Florida.