New to diving, confused about Certification Agencies, please help :)

[trader800]

Hi, first I'd apologize if this question has been asked before. I'm brand new to diving, only did a few Discovery dives before during vacations. I want to get certified so I can dive more. I just signed up with a dive shop next block from home. After I took home all the materials I discoverred that they are with SSI. Now everytime I went on vacation and every dive store I saw had a PADI sign on it. So to my ignorance I thought PADI was the only certification agency. Now I realize that there are many, like PADI, SSI, NAUI etc etc.

My question is, what are the differerces between them? Or I should say what are the differences getting certified through different agencies? Does it matter for new divers like me? Will I be able to dive with my SSI certification anywhere? Please help! Thank you very much,

J

[Jim Lapenta]

As for being able to dive on vacation yes your cert will be good anywhere from most any agency. Any shop or operator that has a problem with the cert from any recognized agency is someone you probably don't want to use anyway. Many will tell you that at the OW level there are not any real differences in the training. This is not at all true. There are actually some major differences in standards, training methods, amount of material, skills learned, and time spent in the course. There are quick courses which give you enough to survive and others that will give you the education, confidence, and skills to truly enjoy the under water experience. What you want is up to you. I;d suggest you read this thread and study it.
How to find an excellent SCUBA class

Then this one:
Who is responsible for what?

and then decide which class is best for you and the diving you see yourself doing. The goal of an OW class, if you go by that accepted by all major agencies, is once you get out of that class is to allow you to safely plan, execute, and return from a dive in conditions similar to or better than that in which you trained with a buddy of equal training. With no professional in the water.The shop or instructor should guarantee this result before they will give you a certification card. If they don't because they say you will be diving with a DM/Guide/Instructor anyway run away from them. That is not the kind of training you want.

[oly5050user]

Hi, first I'd apologize if this question has been asked before. I'm brand new to diving, only did a few Discovery dives before during vacations. I want to get certified so I can dive more. I just signed up with a dive shop next block from home. After I took home all the materials I discoverred that they are with SSI. Now everytime I went on vacation and every dive store I saw had a PADI sign on it. So to my ignorance I thought PADI was the only certification agency. Now I realize that there are many, like PADI, SSI, NAUI etc etc.

My question is, what are the differerces between them? Or I should say what are the differences getting certified through different agencies? Does it matter for new divers like me? Will I be able to dive with my SSI certification anywhere? Please help! Thank you very much,

J

All the agencies have standards that will insure that you will learn to dive safely.The difference to you as the enduser is which offers you the most convience.With SSI you may have trouble finding a SSI instructor to conduct the ow certification dives if you take a referral from your instructor.There just are not that many SSI facilities out there.I said SSI facilities because a SSI instructor must be affiliated with a SSI facility to teach.PADI is all over the place,you cannot throw a rock in resort areas without hitting one.So as the consumer it gives you choice of which instructor/facility to use the referral at plus the ease of finding one. I was a SSI instructor for years and found I was MUCH more in demand with PADI programs than with SSI.
Easily had 5 times more students with PADI than with SSI ..Not to get into the arguement where one is better than the other.Its all marketing and visibilty to the public.

[Tom Smedley]

Go with the agency that is used by the store that is convenient to you.

[Jim Lapenta]

Or look for an independent instructor. Usually more flexible with scheduling.

[Lead_carrier]

(snip) .With SSI you may have trouble finding a SSI instructor to conduct the ow certification dives if you take a referral from your instructor.There just are not that many SSI facilities out there.I said SSI facilities because a SSI instructor must be affiliated with a SSI facility to teach.PADI is all over the place,you cannot throw a rock in resort areas without hitting one.So as the consumer it gives you choice of which instructor/facility to use the referral at plus the ease of finding one. I was a SSI instructor for years and found I was MUCH more in demand with PADI programs than with SSI.
Easily had 5 times more students with PADI than with SSI ..Not to get into the arguement where one is better than the other.Its all marketing and visibilty to the public.

You don't have to use an SSI instructor to do a referral. Use a Universal Referral. I believe only PADI has the requirement that you must stay in house.


Trader, use the information that Jim put out on finding a good instructor. If you have already signed up for the SSI class. Hold them accountable for a good class. If you don't feel comfortable and satisfied with a skill, class or whatever. Talk to the instructor about it. They should go out of their way to make it right by you. If that doesn't work, talk to the store owner and discuss your concerns. IF there still isn't satisfaction, let them know that you're going to contact SSI headquarters about the concerns. The SSI website list all the regional reps with their contact info.

But by all means. Make sure YOU are happy with where you're at when you get certified.

[rstofer]

There's no reason not to take the OW via SSI. Go for it! SSI has been around for a very long time.

Now, if you really want a PADI card, take Advanced OW with that agency. Now you have both cards. Yes, PADI will accept your SSI card for entry to AOW.

There is absolutely no reason to believe that your SSI course will be any less thorough than PADI or NAUI. Yes, there are agencies with longer programs but these 3 are comparable. Yes, there are some technical differences but at the end of the day, you do 4 OW dives (I think). I'm not counting skin dives.

Just for giggles, take the NAUI Rescue course and you have all 3 agencies covered. The NAUI Rescue course can be taken after OW. The PADI course can only be taken after AOW. Your choice. But by all means, plan to progress up through Rescue. It is, by far, the most important class you will ever take.

Richard

[TeriLeonard]

I overheard a conversation between an instructor (who happened to belong to a different agency than the one I belong to) and his student. The student asked which was the best agency. The instructor responded that he believed that all agencies have the same goal, to create safe, fun divers. He then stated that he believed the individual instructor made the difference. I liked his answer.

[dhuskins]

I overheard a conversation between an instructor (who happened to belong to a different agency than the one I belong to) and his student. The student asked which was the best agency. The instructor responded that he believed that all agencies have the same goal, to create safe, fun divers. He then stated that he believed the individual instructor made the difference. I liked his answer.

The individual instructor's skill at teaching diving to you is, in my opinion, the most important issue. Yes, there are differences between agencies and those differences are noteworthy. The impact the instructor has far outweighs the agency differences.