How did you choose where to do DM

[caroln]

For those of you that have taken the DM course, how did you choose which shop to take it with? What were the things that made you decide the shop you used was a good fit for you? Did you end up working as a DM for that shop once you were certified?

[awb]

Ask lots of questions and get to know the instructors on hand. You will know then once you"ve been around awhile. For me it was easy it was ST all the way.

[comet24]

Did mine with the shop I had a relationship with. Knew most of the instructors and liked the way they did things.

[PlatypusMan]

Originally Posted by comet24

Did mine with the shop I had a relationship with. Knew most of the instructors and liked the way they did things.

Same here. Of course, I'm still IN my DM course...

[Divingguy]

I am a new TA/DMC. I chose Scubatoys because I like the instructors/DM's that I have worked with on other ratings, and believe that I can learn from and work with them on this.

[Charles R]

Choose an instructor not a shop. That is what I did the insructor that I was comfortable with was who I chose all the shops charged the same

[caroln]

Originally Posted by Charles R

Choose an instructor not a shop. That is what I did the insructor that I was comfortable with was who I chose all the shops charged the same

My local shop has a large staff of instructors, and the way they do their DM program is that a different instructor will teach each of the 10 classroom sessions so that all DMC's will have met all of the instructors. I bought all my gear at this shop but haven't done much training there so I don't know them super well.

I did most of my classes with an independent instructor and would like to do DM with him too, but it isn't practical since he's located 3 hours from me, so it would be near impossible to get down to his pool to help with classes. The shop would be the most convenient for me since they are the only one within 1/2 hour of my house, and their pool is only about 20 minutes away for when I have to do the confined water work. All shops in the area use the same facility for open water, so that's irrelevant.

I agree that all things being equal, it would be great to choose an instructor I know well and go with him, but barring that, I'm wondering how else I can judge the quality of a DM program.

[ChrisA]

I though about doing something completely different.

I'm thinking about finding a dive outfit at some warm water resort location and doing a DM class there with them. Here in So. California DM classes are weekends only and if the shop does not have a class that weekend you can't intern and have to wait. But these resorts have students every day 7 days a week. Some of these resorts are set up to run a DM or IDC class straight through 7 days a week until you are done. You do 4 dives a day. but importantly you are exposed to "real" DMs and real vacation divers at a large scale resort setting. I think it would be different than at a typical LDS.

I have enough vacation time from work that I could take off that long.

Opinions? Where to go? Thailand, Florida, ... ?

[comet24]

Originally Posted by caroln

My local shop has a large staff of instructors, and the way they do their DM program is that a different instructor will teach each of the 10 classroom sessions so that all DMC's will have met all of the instructors. I bought all my gear at this shop but haven't done much training there so I don't know them super well.

I did most of my classes with an independent instructor and would like to do DM with him too, but it isn't practical since he's located 3 hours from me, so it would be near impossible to get down to his pool to help with classes. The shop would be the most convenient for me since they are the only one within 1/2 hour of my house, and their pool is only about 20 minutes away for when I have to do the confined water work. All shops in the area use the same facility for open water, so that's irrelevant.

I agree that all things being equal, it would be great to choose an instructor I know well and go with him, but barring that, I'm wondering how else I can judge the quality of a DM program.

If possible talk to the DM's that have been around for a while. See what they have to say. If you can find one who will really talk to you and you can get the good and bad about the shop and it's instructors. Although this may be easier typed then done.

[Dive-aholic]

Originally Posted by caroln

My local shop has a large staff of instructors, and the way they do their DM program is that a different instructor will teach each of the 10 classroom sessions so that all DMC's will have met all of the instructors. I bought all my gear at this shop but haven't done much training there so I don't know them super well.

I did most of my classes with an independent instructor and would like to do DM with him too, but it isn't practical since he's located 3 hours from me, so it would be near impossible to get down to his pool to help with classes. The shop would be the most convenient for me since they are the only one within 1/2 hour of my house, and their pool is only about 20 minutes away for when I have to do the confined water work. All shops in the area use the same facility for open water, so that's irrelevant.

I agree that all things being equal, it would be great to choose an instructor I know well and go with him, but barring that, I'm wondering how else I can judge the quality of a DM program.

If you're planning on working locally, then find a shop you want to work with and complete your DM course with them. Most shops like to breed their own, so working with a local independent might not be the best choice. I'm an independent and make sure to tell anyone who asks me about a DM course this information. It's only fair to them. If you get your DM through one shop/instructor and then try to work for another, chances are you won't be able to. Start hanging out at your LDS and see how you like the atmosphere. Ask several of the instructors and DMs there how they like it.

I completed my DM and instructor courses with the only LDS I could (there were only 2 in the area). However, I really didn't get much work with them. They had a lot of instructors and also had a seniority system. I got bumped from a lot of classes by the instructors who had been there longer (which happened to be all of them). I finally severed ties and went independent and have been much happier since.