Dual agency PADI and Who would you chose

[Dive_aaron]

Currently a PADI MSDT. Looking to do dual agency, but looking to hear who should be the second agency.

I am retired, and trying to use the scuba pro status to help travel and maybe work, and offset cost of travel. Currently with PADI, but would not mind having a dual agency cert to open up more doors. Who would you chose and why?

Yes, I understand some of you would say get rid of PADI.

 

[tursiops]

trying to use the scuba pro status to help travel and maybe work, and offset cost of travel.

How do you plan to do this? Arrange and lead trips? Teach while on travel? Argue for discounts from travel suppliers? Work at resorts/dive boats using your credentials? Lead dives? Domestic or international? Need more info to help give you a good answer.

 

[Dive_aaron]

The goal would be to teach, guide, while on travel. Stay somewhere a while and work for a shop.

 

[TylerG.]

PADI is still the largest agency, and they still have the "best" marketing and outreach, that being said their practices have left a bad impression on many people, but it's highly dependent on where you go and the type of diving you're doing, ie cave country vs middle east. The next 3 largest agencies are NAUI, SSI, and SDI/TDI. SSI as good materials and a solid ecosystem, TDI has its roots planted in tec diving, are you thinking about/doing tec dives? Then maybe GUE might be a good option for you, i'd say it very much depends on location and the type of dives you're doing.

 

[sea_ledford]

I don't think a dual credential with PADI and someone else would do anything for you. Everything else is pretty limited compared if you are looking at tropical tourist diving locations. If you are dead set on going this route, probably SSI or SDI would be the next most common, check with DEMA to see some stats. Certainly isn't NAUI, and GUE would be expensive and next to useless for what it sounds like you want to do.

 

[tursiops]

The goal would be to teach, guide, while on travel. Stay somewhere a while and work for a shop.

"Work for a shop" is difficult internationally; work permit are usually required, as are language skills.
Domestically it is also difficult since an increasing number of shops do not have employees, only contract personnel. Any teaching for a shop -- anywhere-- requires being in the agency they teach for, so you need to decide on your second agency based on where you want to go. PADI is your highest probability, but not everywhere. The best way to get hired is to have skills other than teaching and guiding, like boat handling or IT or equipment maintenance. You will only make pennies teaching or guiding, unless you are doing tech teaching. You might be able to "dive for free" but you are working for basically nothing.

 

[lowwall]

SSI would be the logical choice assuming you are looking for the kind of shops that offer DSD and OW certs at typical dive destinations. They've got the corporate backing (owned by Head sports which also owns Mares) and they are cheaper than PADI for the shop because fees/dues are less and for the students because they charge much less for e-learning so that's where shops that leave PADI tend to go.

 

[tursiops]

For example, you can go to agency web sites and find out where they have facilities.
Bonaire:
PADI 30
SDI 7
SSI 4
NAUI 0
Grand Cayman
PADI 28
SDI 3
SSI 7
NAUI 0

 

[Divin'Papaw]

SSI would be the logical choice assuming you are looking for the kind of shops that offer DSD and OW certs at typical dive destinations. They've got the corporate backing (owned by Head sports which also owns Mares) and they are cheaper than PADI for the shop because fees/dues are less and for the students because they charge much less for e-learning so that's where shops that leave PADI tend to go.

All true, but SDI has a reputation for more solid, thorough training courses.

Here in South FL, you see a few 100% PADI shops left, but many are PADI/SSI or PADI/SDI or even PADI/SDI/SSI. Many of those later shops have grown tired of PADI for the reasons listed and are pushing as many students as possible to SSI and SDI. NAUI is just about unheard of apart from a few independent instructors. There is one shop I know however that is 100% SDI. It is my "home" shop in Naples.

If it were up to me, I'd add SDI to PADI. The exact benefits @lowwall mentions for SSI are exactly why I am not a fan. They are not an "independent" agency. They will always try to serve the hand the feeds them. But that is just me. YMMV.

 

[tursiops]

Another consideration is whether you can be an independent instructor with an agency, or whether you must work through an agency-affiliated shop. PADI makes this easy, SDI is OK, SSI not at all. NAUI is simply irrelevant in most of the world. (Sorry, Boltsnap.)