Conversion course to SSI from PADI

[saltynay]

What is sustaining status? How much is it overall to keep both certs active per annum if you don't mind me asking?

 

[jscott099]

Sustaining allows you to maintain your instructor status but not be able to teach. You'd have to check with each agency on the cost but it is certainly less than the full renewal cost each year. For SSI it is called Inactive Status. If you want to start teaching again you have to pay the difference in renewal dues, be current on your medical, current on CPR/FA and O2 use, current on insurance, affiliate with a shop, and co-teach an OW course with an instructor from the shop, and have all the current course materials. Basically you save a little in dues. Similar concept with PADI.

Again, you'd want to call either organization and get the dirty details from them.

 

[ROMO DIVER]

SSI does have a crossover which is not near as long as the IDC. I know of a number of SSI shops that were once PADI that will give PADI cards if the students demand it. Most go by the concept that the customer is always right. It is rare but does happen. They teach SSI and then say that they do a crossover and give both cards.

I looked at the situation when my original SSI shop closed and found that to go from SSI to PADI was much more expensive and time consuming than to go from PADI to SSI.