Can freelance PADI instructor work with SSI dive shop?

[MichDiver88]

The reason I asked about this is because I was in location disadvantage. Several PADI dive shop are about 1 hour and half to 2 hours away from my home which it far for me to drive. However there is SSI dive shop in my home area and another SSI shop in about hour away. I was wondering if I can do part-time freelance instructor with either of these SSI dive shop agency or do I need to get SSI instructor certification to work with SSI?

 

[diversteve]

I don't think so. Not without doing the crossover. SSI Scuba Schools International Crossover options

SSI has a simplified crossover system for instructors affiliated with recognized agencies for Recreational, Technical or Freediving. We believe that since you’re already an instructor, you only need to know how the SSI System and Philosophy function as well as the specific skills.

 

[Scott]

You would need to do a crossover. Every agency has a little different philosophy and while teaching a mask clear is no different there are differences in standards.

 

[oly5050user]

PADI instr working at a SSI facility is the question. I do not see why not. Will have to issue PADI certifications and use PADI learning materials. Can also use the facility pool as an independent with his/her own insurance..We allow any agency instructor use/ rent our facility classroom and onsite pool as an independent as long as they are insured. We are a PADI 5star IDC facility.
Better question would be does SSI have anything in their standards restricting this? I would think that they do not.But who knows,stranger things have happened.

 

[Steve_C]

SSI has only shop affiliated instructors. What is in it for the shop? Are you suggesting you want to teach their classes for them or are you saying you will find your own students and want to rent their facilities?

 

[iztok]

SSI shop gets to sell gear to the students. Why not? It is quite possible (I do it).

 

[MichDiver88]

I want to be able to use their shop to teach my students for PADI certification. I want SSI dive shop to contact me if people who live in my area want to take PADI certification or PADI referral instead of SSI. I want to able to rent their classroom, pool and my students can rent or buy SSI shop equipment which they make profit. I only get profit is teaching them. Will these work?

 

[iztok]

Ask the shop if they want to do this or not. You think you can make profit from teaching?

 

[MichDiver88]

I just want to make some extra money by teaching. I already have other full-time job that give me a living stable. So I won't expect more and it will be a reasonable pay. My ideal is the students will pay for my "teaching" fee and the rest of others like renting/buying gears, classroom, pool will be paying to SSI shop. Has anyone who is PADI Instructor experience working freelance with SSI dive shop to teach students using PADI methods?

 

[diversteve]

There's two people that can answer your questions far better than any of us. They own the SSI shops in question. Why don't you ask them instead of getting a lot of info here that may/may not apply in your particular situation.

I'm pretty sure that if a new diver contacts the shop about lessons they won't much know (or care) who their certification is thru. So the SSI shop would likely try to sell them an SSI program before referring them to you. If you think about it - any PADI divers wanting more training in your area likely already know about the PADI shops nearby. Why in the world would they contact an SSI shop looking for a PADI instructor referral?

A selling point for the SSI training would be your same problem. If I'm in the area and figure out that it's a two hour drive to a PADI shop - I might be persuaded by the pitch from the SSI shop to do a rec. crossover and continue classes with them. Effectively cutting you completely out of the picture.

What shop owner is going to take potential work from his on-staff instructors and refer it to you instead? Especially since an SSI requirement is shop affiliation - it's incumbent on the shop management to mutually provide work for their staff inststructors. At least that's how it works for my friends - both SSI instructors at a local SSI shop.

I'd work it the other way - contract with the SSI shop for their classroom/pool when you have enough paid students signed up to make that viable.

I'm SSI. About the last thing I'd do is contact the closest PADI shop and ask them for an SSI instructor referral. All the cert agencies have websites for that anyway.