Training programmes

[Guy_M]

Hello,

This is probably a biggie.

I have recently taken over as TO for my branch and am looking for ideas on how to structure my club's training programme. We have trainees at all diver grades and the usual limited number of instructors. If you have a successful programme, then a comment would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Guy

[MSutcliffe]

I most recently tried the following stratergie:

Trainees in each grade of training should get together, and should present a series of dates for which they can ALL make it - pass this to the training officer, who will endeavour to organise instructors.

It was a sound theory. I liked it.

Guess what - the trainees didn't bother getting together, and didnt' submit proposed dates, and as such spent the year moaning that they weren't getting any training.

I'm afraid I simply retorted that I wasn't going to organise the same lecture more than once, and was going to run the minimum required number of practical sessions.

Adult learners, eh!

[Hamish]

Guy,

What we have found to work well is have a meeting with all your instructors, discuss the preposals for OD, SD, DL courses etc. Give them suggested start dates and ask them to submit to you, dates which they will be available for each of the courses/venues.

Then based on these dates programme in lectures/sheltered water/open water, dates/venues. Make up the programme and submit it to the members for them to insert thier names.

If they want the training they will fit in with what the instructors can provide.

That way you have the resource sorted before the demand and in many cases should work quite well, but whatever way it is done there will always be slips and glitches, it's part of life.

Hope that helps.

Hamish

[Stephen Davies]

Guy,

I start by producing a calendar of events at the club for a four month period, this includes the training programme, committee meetings, social events and members' meetings.

For the training aspect of the calendar two instructors are identified for each lesson (instructors then fight it out between themselves) and the names of trainees are included in an additional column.

Once the calendar has been constructed instructors are asked for their views, not often they return a not available on a particluar date. When a return has been received from all instructors (given a week) the calendar is then circulated to trainees.

The above works fairly well for my club but may not work for others. Pick what you see as the best bits from the ideas posted and experiement with what works for you.

Regards

Stephen

[Stewart]

Hi,

Just been following this thread and curious to get any views on a related matter - how long does it take your clubs (on average) to put new Ocean Diver trainees through the OD Training Program ?

Our club seems to struggle in getting combined commitment from trainees and instructors and the thing can drag on in excess of six months. I am curious to know what timescales other clubs experience and if anyone has a view on how long should be spent in the swimming pool and then open water (my view is that we spend far too long in the swimming pool).

Stewart

[Adrian Kelland]

Hi,

Just been following this thread and curious to get any views on a related matter - how long does it take your clubs (on average) to put new Ocean Diver trainees through the OD Training Program ?

Our club seems to struggle in getting combined commitment from trainees and instructors and the thing can drag on in excess of six months. I am curious to know what timescales other clubs experience and if anyone has a view on how long should be spent in the swimming pool and then open water (my view is that we spend far too long in the swimming pool).

Stewart Stewart,

I have seen the 6+ month thing many times.

We started our latest OD course on 29 Sept. Nearly all have now passed the written exam. Those who have have done their drysuit work and have had training dives (2 or 3 IIRC) at Vobster. We may be starting another course in the new year - TBC.

Commitment - always a trick one. I'm not sure where it starts. If the course is cheap, then the trainees may see little cost to missing some lesson - often with no notice. Frustrating. However if commitment from the instructors is poor, then this really sets a poor example to the trainees. So I think it starts with the branch and should be strongly encouraged.

We have an instructors meeting prior to the start to confirm availability etc. Our TO works quite hard on making sure everyone know what is going on - it only falls down when someone does not let him know that they cannot make a lesson.

Adrian