What is the future of GUE?

[AlexL]

Dive leader (I think that's what the new gue DM thing is called)

Dive Leader was explained to me as being put in place to deal with insurance / legal issues related to leading dives. ie; marine parks, or guided dives. agree with you on the supervised diver class though, seems a bit out of step with the rest of the agency.

we're heading down to the GUE conference in October, sure the 'future of the agency' subject will come up in discussions at some point.

 

[AlexL]

GUE would teach the skills but that the purpose was to go out and use them, by diving.... a lot.

'dive more, post/talk less' was a common and repeated theme in our fundies class. if 'more diving' / 'more fun while diving' is not the final outcome of the class, then whats the point? i would post more detail, but i need to get back to packing the adventure van for a weekend trip up to the quarry.

 

[PfcAJ]

@PfcAJ is what youre getting at is GUE dosent need classes like dpv, gas blender, doubles and drysuit primer, etc. since all the above mentioned can be learned from a good mentor and just going out and diving and by having those classes its just "filler" material ?

DPV, Doubles, and Drysuit are fine. The rest of that stuff is fluff that (imo) is just extra ways for instructors to make $. I don't think there's a genuine need for them.

Just because someone WILL sign up for something doesn't mean they NEED it. Again, look at all the padi classes. I'm against the idea of a bajillion classes. I think its bad.

GUE created a better mousetrap with fundamentals, cave 1,2, and tech 1,2. I don't see anything advantageous to a GUE gas blender course, Dive Supervisor, Supervised Diver (can't believe I even have to write about that), or a DM. I believe that if you aren't good enough for tech 1 or tech 2 you shouldn't be doing things that approximate those dives (trimix, deco, stages). Get better. Take the high road. Polish your skills. The gaps aren't really that big, and if you think they are then you need more time at your current level.

 

[AJ]

I don’t see anything about DM. Although, with the number of instructors they have been adding recently, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them add it as a stepping stone. They have always kind of had DMs with people who would consistently help out with class/were on their way to becoming instructors, but now they have an actual name and rank.

I don’t see anything about Supervise Diver.

It's somewhat hidden in SOP 8. Search for 'dive leader'. It's a kind of DM (babysitter?) for Rec certified divers. I'am not sure what it means.

I agree to a certain level with the comments made here. GUE curriculum was clear and defined. Now it gets blurred and confusing. Fundies seems a good course to get people on par. Documentation can be a usefull course, but I don't know exactly what it contains. After that levels 1, 2 and 3 seems just about right to me. If the gaps between the courses a too wide, do something about those gaps and define a clear path from 'zero to hero'. I don't think it's wise to create new courses to fill those gaps.

 

[seeker242]

As I was told back when GUE was in it infancy, by one of the original tech instructors for GUE, was that GUE would teach the skills but that the purpose was to go out and use them, by diving.... a lot.

That's easy to say when there are a lot of other GUE divers that you can dive with. Not so easy though when there are thousands of other recreational divers in your local area and only like 6 of them are GUE...And half of them only dive occasionally...Most of the divers that I meet never even heard of GUE...

 

[PfcAJ]

That's easy to say when there are a lot of other GUE divers that you can dive with. Not so easy though when there are thousands of other recreational divers in your local area and only like 6 of them are GUE...And half of them only dive occasionally...Most of the divers that I meet never even heard of GUE...

South Fl has a pretty good number of gue folks. Isn't that where you're at?

 

[Lorenzoid]

I asked an instructor I have been working with what the backstory is with some of the new classes, mainly “Discover Diving” and “Recreational Supervised Diver” (also "Triox Primer"), and he said he honestly did not know yet. What was the motivation for these courses? Is GUE increasingly following the major-agency model (and I mean no slight to PADI et al.)? Was there really a demand for these courses, or are these courses probably going to see even less usage than Rec1? To what kind of person in what circumstances would a GUE DSD course appeal?


2.1.1 Discover Diving
2.1.1.1 Program outcomes
GUE’s Discover Diving program is designed as an introduction for individuals with no previous scuba diving experience. This program does not result in certification but can serve as an introduction to the Recreational Supervised Diver course or as a standalone experience. Completion of this program does not qualify the participants to engage in recreational diving.
. . .
2.1.1.3 Program Content
The Discover Diving program is normally conducted over one day. It requires a minimum of one in-water session and at least four hours of instruction, encompassing classroom lectures, land drills, and in-water work. Optional open water dives can be conducted at the instructor’s discretion.



2.1.2 Recreational Supervised Diver
2.1.2.1 Course Outcomes
GUE’s Recreational Supervised Diver course is designed to provide students with sufficient knowledge, skill, and experience to dive in open water environments under the direct supervision of a GUE Recreational Dive Leader, a GUE Recreational Instructor Assistant, or a GUE instructor. Certified Recreational Supervised Divers may be able to count this training toward completion of Recreational Diver Level 1 if they wish to dive without leadership supervision.
Upon fulfilling all minimum training requirements, the Recreational Supervised Diver will be qualified to:
a. Dive to a maximum depth of 40 ft/12 m
b. Dive in a team with at least one of the following:
i. A GUE Recreational Dive Leader, who may dive with one Recreational Supervised Diver
ii. A GUE Recreational Instructor Assistant, who may dive with two Recreational Supervised Divers
iii. A GUE instructor, who may dive with three Recreational Supervised Divers
c. Dive within minimum decompression limits (MDLs), i.e., no required stops
d. Dive with appropriate surface support (e.g. access to EMS, infrastructure allowing for support in case of emergency)
e. Dive in conditions equal to or better than those in which they were trained
f. Use nitrox 32 under direct supervision of a GUE Recreational Dive Leader, GUE Recreational Instructor Assistant, or GUE instructor

 

[CptTightPants21]

I asked an instructor I have been working with what the backstory is with some of the new classes, mainly “Discover Diving” and “Recreational Supervised Diver” (also "Triox Primer"), and he said he honestly did not know yet. What was the motivation for these courses? Is GUE increasingly following the major-agency model (and I mean no slight to PADI et al.)? Was there really a demand for these courses, or are these courses probably going to see even less usage than Rec1? To what kind of person in what circumstances would a GUE DSD course appeal?


2.1.1 Discover Diving
2.1.1.1 Program outcomes
GUE’s Discover Diving program is designed as an introduction for individuals with no previous scuba diving experience. This program does not result in certification but can serve as an introduction to the Recreational Supervised Diver course or as a standalone experience. Completion of this program does not qualify the participants to engage in recreational diving.
. . .
2.1.1.3 Program Content
The Discover Diving program is normally conducted over one day. It requires a minimum of one in-water session and at least four hours of instruction, encompassing classroom lectures, land drills, and in-water work. Optional open water dives can be conducted at the instructor’s discretion.



2.1.2 Recreational Supervised Diver
2.1.2.1 Course Outcomes
GUE’s Recreational Supervised Diver course is designed to provide students with sufficient knowledge, skill, and experience to dive in open water environments under the direct supervision of a GUE Recreational Dive Leader, a GUE Recreational Instructor Assistant, or a GUE instructor. Certified Recreational Supervised Divers may be able to count this training toward completion of Recreational Diver Level 1 if they wish to dive without leadership supervision.
Upon fulfilling all minimum training requirements, the Recreational Supervised Diver will be qualified to:
a. Dive to a maximum depth of 40 ft/12 m
b. Dive in a team with at least one of the following:
i. A GUE Recreational Dive Leader, who may dive with one Recreational Supervised Diver
ii. A GUE Recreational Instructor Assistant, who may dive with two Recreational Supervised Divers
iii. A GUE instructor, who may dive with three Recreational Supervised Divers
c. Dive within minimum decompression limits (MDLs), i.e., no required stops
d. Dive with appropriate surface support (e.g. access to EMS, infrastructure allowing for support in case of emergency)
e. Dive in conditions equal to or better than those in which they were trained
f. Use nitrox 32 under direct supervision of a GUE Recreational Dive Leader, GUE Recreational Instructor Assistant, or GUE instructor

Yeah.......this is NOT what I want to see.
I dont have a problem with Tech 60 existing, although I would never take it.

I also think gas blender is ok to have.

Docs diver can go.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

So in other words, with a long list of courses and specialties GUE will be looking more like PADI or SSI etc. It will have a greater "mass-appeal" but those who are seeking no-nonsense quality instruction would wish that they were born a decade earlier.

 

[boulderjohn]

those who are seeking no-nonsense quality instruction

Explain the difference. What is the nonsense you are talking about?