SCUBA News and Views
The Macdondalization of Diver Training
Over the last 10 years or so the diving industry has been on the decline. Numbers of new divers has been falling. The biggest worry is the number of divers who do not continue diving after their course.
One study has shown that the dropout rate of 30 percent 15 years ago has increased to a mind boggling 95 percent today!
This drop out rate has been an unmitigated disaster to the industry. More of a tragedy is the number of people who were put of diving by the training. Folk who would have had a great life of diving ahead of them, with many wonderful experiences.
Why are they dropping out?
Simply put …they enjoyed the adventure and the thrill of their diving course BUT do not feel that confident and so diving was more fear than fun. It was a case tick the box of been there done that.
There is only one reason why they do not feel confident. The course that they did was not able to give them the confidence required.
Have the standard of courses dropped in 10 years? Absolutely. The stated aim of the American training agencies is to make it easier and easier to become a diver. You will shortly be able to do much of your course on the internet!
Couple with the fact that these US of Bush courses claim that one course fits all regardless of whether you are diving in the Caribbean or Alwail shoal. Anyone who has dived at both venues will agree that practically the only similarities are that both are wet and rather salty.
Not only have the courses dropped in standard but the training and filtering of the instructors have as well.
It is ridiculously easy to become an instructor and even rudimentary skills and knowledge will suffice. Many qualified instructors readily admit that they do not feel skilled enough to be instructors.
This lack of experience and skill is compensated by a course that is easy to give. The video machine becomes the teacher and the instructor the operator. Many divers can’t even remember the name of their instructor… was it Sony or LG?
Next the dumber and dumber courses are then constrained by techniques that are more about not being sued than sensible training.
The advanced courses that these agencies give is a joke… ask a recently certified advanced diver if they:
Got value for money?
Now feel like an advanced diver?
Most will answer no to both questions.
The solution is easy:
Return to the thorough training methods of the past and only certify those instructors that reach high standards of knowledge and skills. Job done.
So if the American agencies won’t see reality and change? Well there are hundreds of training agencies in the world to choose from and all of their cards are valid.
We don’t have to use the dumber and dumber agencies. Training does not have to be a four letter word.
