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| Originally Posted by Al_Star Woz - I have to correct you on this. GUE is a non-profit organisation and as JJ explained at his LIDS talk it is amazing successful. It loses money every single year i.e. no profit 
The motives behind GUE are very much based around wanting to set some standards that the founders and current instructors believe is appropriate. GUE believe their instructors should receive fair reward for their time and training and do not wish to join the industry in its devaluation of dive training. This does not translate into GUE making money. Becoming a GUE instructor is damn difficult and there is no crossover mechanism. Fred Devos who is a massively experienced cave instructor and has thousands of kilometres of cave to his name has had to start at the bottom and work his way up.
Another example is the planned open water course - its 9 days long and will cost probably 4 times what you average PADI class would. Why - well because it will turn out a diver qualified to 30m with nitrox, rescue and very solid diving skills. Again its not because it will make money - it's about setting out what GUE believe is appropriate.
I chose GUE training because it was the most difficult training and held its students to the highest standards. The ocean or cave does not become more benign because I hold a card that says I'm qualified - it becomes more manageable based on solid training and with experience.
If you take the agency out of it most people would agree that good training by experienced instructors and the need to build your skills is essential. GUE just insists upon it.
Cheers
Al |
Good points.
A question- the GUE "not for profit" bit- is that just the training or is GUE being used as a financing operation to push the Florida cave systems?
I wouldn't moan if it was as that's the way most people get into the diving "business"- selling tatt (in whatever form) to finance their own diving.
I'd certainly agree with the low bar set with commercial training systems out there- the industry is knocking out OW courses for next to nothing and tipping out poorly trained divers- just sculling gently round Stoney on a weekend will see gaggles of trainees in big groups which can't be effective. The problem is that as a commercial instructor, there will always be some muppet who will do the job for next to nothing just for the free diving. This drives prices down and means you can't spend the time and effort training divers properly.
Taking someone on a week long course and turning out a competent open water diver is a great idea.
We've been doing it in our club for years..... but we take 3 months !