The cost of Padi

[scubaaaronh]

never mind just not worth it.

 

[RonFrank]

Sooner or later when we're done selling books, pics, gear, trips etc, we might just get around to teaching somebody how to dive, and to do it safely too........ lol.

Instructor??

Nope, I'm a door to door salesman selling encyclopedia's Why do you think I put a bag over my head <avatar>.

Too funny! Unfortunately very sad as well. So, what happens if PADI catches Instructors who allow a student who does not OWN the manual to become certified? Do they put you in PADI jail. Torture? :kopfab:

 

[lmorin]

It's incredible how few people realize that increasing ocean temperature is a direct result of PADI lowering dive standards, which increases the numbers of divers adding their body heat to the oceans. .....
....

The body heat business is obvious and is the reason I wear an 11 mm suit up north and a 7 mm suit in the tropics, with hood and gloves.

 

[wreckchick]

I'm wondering if the Q&A on this would have harsher consequences than the "no snorkel" Q&A. I'm guessing yes since a snorkel (or not) doesn't impact the bottom line.

R

 

[Walter]

I still believe that the agency is good ....

Then, my dear, your eyes have yet to be opened.

The customer who is reseach-oriented will likely choose PADI for their initial certification.

Only those who don't research very much. Anyone who delves very far will discover there have been serious questions raised about the quailty of their program.

I can understand why some people feel that PADI is a money-grubbing machine, but it is a business and doens't operate in a beneficient manner. It's focus as a business is to make a profit, just like every other successful business.

A business should make money, but not at the expense of safety.

How did PADI get so big in the first place? I assume they were doing something right. I wonder if they have forgotten what that is?

They got big by catering to our instant gratification society. They cut standards and made it possible for people to start diving right away. It's far from the safest approach to teaching diving, but it's popular. Is that doing something right? If your only concern is profit, it is. I also like to make a profit, but there are other things even more important. They have not forgotten how they got so big, they're continuing and their success will likely increase.

 

[**ping**]

((irony on))

Hey...

diving is not serious! It is about FUN, FUN, FUN!!!!

And quit your grumbling Walter... with such a negative attitude, no wonder PADI doesn't allow you to become one of their instructors.

((irony off))

 

[Walter]

It's only fun when you can do it safely.

They probably wouldn't allow me to be one of their instructors considering our past history, but we'll never know because I'll never apply.

 

[joe rock]

...have been running a successful dive operation for close to five years now. I am fully aware of these things...I was speaking in very general terms without going into a full course on accounting!...

Christi, I haven't made it to Cozumel yet, but when I do, I want to dive with you

 

[joe rock]

The post by Bailey, and a few others, regarding the structure of the PADI course and materials shows us one of the reasons that PADI is the largest agency in the business.

I too am a college educated individual, and have a background in engineering. I personally found most of the material in the OW book to be pretty simplistic. My wife is very artistic, and very visual; and had a little trouble "visualizing" some of the material. My understanding of the material and how she learns things allowed me to convey the theories to her in a way that she could grasp. When we watched the video, I saw a lightblub go off in her head. She got 100% on all the written tests.

PADI is not trying to turn out scientists. Their goal seems to be to make diving safe and fun ...... for everyone.

My biggest complaint about the materials is that annoying Doofuss on the DVD!

Fact, people respond differently to various learning methods. To your point (which is excellent) I learn from reading and can't make it through the DVD without falling asleep.

 

[adurso]

Re the cost of books: publishing a text is an expensive task. The publisher, PADI in this instance must pay printers, they are expensive, the color illustrations and boxes and all the other formatting cost extra. The market is limited, so to make a profit the unit cost must be higher than a mass market novel. The revisions are done for greater profit and to reflect changes that may occur. I have never read a PADI text so I cannot comment on safety and so on as Walter mentions, but I learned a harsh lesson about target markets when writing a text. The first time the editors revised and returned for re-write initial chapters was scary, what I thought was reasonable and appropriate language for high school was not. The PADI texts are designed for a large spectrum as David and others I believe mentioned, the greater market does not have a formal post high school background. Different learning styles DO exist, and a successful, by sales volume, text will address those styles, incorporating video, dvd, powerpoints and so on and so forth.

As mentioned by others corporations exist to make a profit, I could be wrong, but I do not believe there are any private companies that exist for the good of mankind. If it takes claiming environmental friendliness, creating and endowing educational research or anything else the organization will do what is necessary to survive and profit, there are no moral or ethical considerations that come into play.