Scuba diving certification is important if you intend to become a professional diver. There are many scuba certification options available, depending on your needs and budget. PADI, SSI and NAUI are just a few of the popular certification programs available for beginners. Find the right one for you. These tips and tricks will help you select the right program for you.
PADI
PADI is a professional association for divers training and membership. The organization was founded in 1966 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson. The certification includes a range of training requirements including underwater navigation, scuba diving safety and dive operations. PADI teaches divers how safely and effectively to supervise a dive, and the nuances of underwater navigation.
After the PADI Open Water Course, students can obtain a rescue diver certificate. This certification requires students to take five different dive courses, each with its own learning outcomes and skill set. Two must take the Deep Dive Specialty Course, and one must complete the Underwater Navigation Specialty Course. The other three must be selected from a list. This certification is meant for rescue divers who need to be able to respond in an emergency situation underwater. The course usually requires two to three days of training. It includes theory and two open water dives.
SSI
When deciding which certification is right for you, a SSI course is a great choice. Both SSI as well as PADI courses require a level of skill. PADI courses are more rigid, and require students to master skills in a specific order. SSI permits more flexibility. If one skill is too difficult, they can move on to another until they get it right. They can even train while on vacation with SSI and get their certification in a matter days.
SSI offers online courses that allow you to log your dives instantly. The manuals can be ordered online or borrowed from a local dive center. SSI can also issue an eCertification Card by creating an account online. While the price of each course varies, in 2018, most courses were around 50 US dollars. You can then upgrade to a higher certification level by taking a diving training course.
NAUI
The National Association of Underwater Instructors(NAUI) is a group of certified scuba diving instructors. They are responsible for providing education programs and standards to scuba divers across the globe. You can teach scuba diving to people who are not professionals and meet international safety standards with a NAUI certification. NAUI offers training courses as well as teaching scuba diving to divers from around the globe.
Al Tillman from Scripps Institute of Oceanography held the first NAUI training session in Los Angeles, in 1959. He and another Scripps Institute Oceanographer granted provisional diving certifications in 1958. Scuba diving was popularized by Lloyd Bridges' 1960 movie "Sea Hunt". The National Diving Patrol was established in 1960. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was elected its first president. The Navy SEALs use NAUI training programs, NASA and Walt Disney Resorts globally.
CMAS
Scuba diving enthusiasts from every continent should look for a dive school that offers CMAS certification courses. While there isn't a single list of certified dive schools, it is possible to search the internet for one. CMAS courses cover 5 days of diving. They emphasize safety and the need to have a buddy. CMAS certification requires that you are at least 16 and have dived 25 times. You also need to have a medical certificate from a diving doctor. If you already have a certification, the first step in obtaining SSI will be to complete a course.
If you have a qualification from one agency but not from another, you can enroll in an equivalent course in another agency. If you have some experience in scuba diving and are interested in pursuing more advanced courses, you can use the table references below. The table does not list all training agencies, so you may have to begin at a lower level if you hold a CMAS 1 or 2 certification. In this case, you should seek advice from the new agency before making the decision.