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| Originally Posted by Woz 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 ! |
GUE is very small - it doesn't really finance anything. It's not that long ago it took the step of having full time staff! Before that it tended to be something people worked on part time. Most of the courses and standards are written by instructors donating their time. They are able to teach the classes so can earn money that way rather than from GUE.
Its sad that dive training is devalued by people willing to do it for purely the diving. A guy who used to work for me went out to Australia to work as a PADI instructor - the first place he went to asked him how much he was prepared to pay to teach for them. Having fallen off his chair they explained they had so many instructors wanting work that they'd taken to charging them. Turned out people wanted experience so much they were willing to pay. Great result for the dive shop - they got paid by students and staff!
I doubt GUE's open water course will be popular but they don't care - its about setting out what they think is appropriate which the rest of the industry can ignore if they want to. Certainly if one of my family wanted to learn to dive I'd point them in that direction as I know they'd come away as very safe and competant divers. That's likely to be the only way that class could find students.
Cheers
Al