Certification scuba diving is essential if you plan to pursue scuba diving professionally. There are many scuba certification options available, depending on your needs and budget. PADI (SSI), NAUI, CMAS, CMAS and other popular certifications are all available to beginners. Find out which one is right to you! You will also find some helpful tips and tricks on how to choose the best certification program for you.
PADI
PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), an organization for professional diver training and membership, is known as PADI. The organization was founded in 1966 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson. The certification requires a wide range of training, including knowledge of safety, navigation, and dive operation. PADI teaches divers how safely and effectively to supervise a dive, and the nuances of underwater navigation.
Students will earn a rescue diver license after they have successfully completed the PADI openwater course. Five different courses are required to complete this certification. Each course has five learning outcomes and five skill sets. Two of these must be the Deep Dive Specialty Course. One must also take the Underwater Navigation Specialty Course. Three of the other courses must be chosen from a given list. The Rescue Diver certification is designed for individuals who are willing to rescue others in distress 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 and PADI require a certain level skill. PADI courses are more rigid and require the student to complete skills in a specific order, while SSI allows students more flexibility. They can continue learning until they master a skill they don't like. They can get their certifications in a matter hours with SSI because they can do it while they are on vacation.
SSI offers digital training so you can log dives quickly. The manuals are available online or can be purchased or borrowed from a dive center. SSI can also issue an eCertification Card by creating an account online. The cost varies, but in 2018 most courses cost about 50 USD. A dive training course can be completed to upgrade your certification.
NAUI
The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) is an association of certified scuba diving instructors. Their primary purpose is to provide standards and education programs for scuba divers worldwide. NAUI certification lets you teach scuba divers to non-professionals while also meeting international safety standards. NAUI offers training courses and teaches scuba diving all over the globe.
Al Tillman (a Scripps Institute of Oceanography peer) held the first NAUI training class in Los Angeles in 1959. In 1958, Tillman and another Scripps Institute oceanographer received provisional diving certifications. In 1960, the film "Sea Hunt" starring Lloyd Bridges generated great interest in scuba diving as a recreational activity. In 1960, the National Diving Patrol began to be established. Jacques-Yves Cousteau, its first president, was appointed. The Navy SEALs, NASA and Walt Disney Resorts around the world use NAUI training programs today.
CMAS
Scuba divers from every continent should seek out a school that offers CMAS courses. You can search for accredited dive schools online, even though there is not a central listing. CMAS courses can be equivalent to five days of diving. CMAS emphasizes safety and the necessity of using a buddy. CMAS certification is only available to those who are at least 16 years of age, have completed at least 25 dives and have a certified medical statement from a qualified diving physician. If you hold an existing certification, the first step is to complete an SSI training 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.