Certification scuba diving is essential if you plan to pursue scuba diving professionally. There are many options for certification depending on your preference and your budget. Here are some popular certifications for beginners: PADI and SSI, NAUI and CMAS. 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. John Cronin, Ralph Erickson and Ralph Erickson founded the organization in 1966. There are many requirements for certification, including knowledge about scuba diving safety, underwater navigation and dive operations. PADI training teaches divers to safely and effectively manage a dive and how to navigate underwater.
Students will earn a rescue diver license after they have successfully completed the PADI openwater course. This requires five dive courses with five different learning outcomes. Two must take the Deep Dive Specialty Course, and one must complete 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
A SSI certification course is a great choice when deciding what certification you want. Both PADI and SSI courses require a certain level of skill. PADI courses are more strict and require that students complete skills in a particular order. SSI, however, allows for more flexibility. If a skill is too difficult they can always move on to the next until they are proficient. With SSI, they can also do the training on vacation while on vacation, which means they can get their certification in a matter of days.
SSI offers digital training so you can log dives quickly. 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. There are many costs, but the average cost for 2018 courses was 50 USD. The next step is to complete a dive training program.
NAUI
The National Association of Underwater Instructors is an association of certified instructors in scuba diving. Their primary function is to establish standards and provide education programs for divers all over the world. The NAUI certification permits you to teach scuba dive to non-professionals and meets international dive safety standards. NAUI offers training courses and teaches scuba diving all over the globe.
Al Tillman, an oceanographer at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, held the first NAUI training course in Los Angeles in 1959. He and another Scripps Institute oceanographer were granted provisional diving certificates in 1958. 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 (Walt Disney Resorts) still use the NAUI training program.
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 are equivalent to 5 days of diving and emphasize the importance of safety, including the use of 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 already have a certification, the first step in obtaining SSI will be to complete a course.
If you have a qualification in one agency, but not in another, you are eligible to enroll in an identical course in another agency. You can refer to the table below if you have some experience with scuba diving. The table does not include all training agencies. You might need to start at the lower level if your CMAS 1 or 2 certification is required. You should consult the new agency in this instance before you make a decision.