PADI Divemaster or CMAS*** for conservation career

[Edward3c]

Thanks for your reply I have 2 months until starting my masters so wanted to do something useful (and fun, any excuse to dive somewhere warm!) I can't do all three there because the dive centre is CMAS only. I have family there I can stay with so it is the cheapest option I have found looking at internships. Basically I'm asking whether it is worth doing or whether I should just find somewhere else and do DM. But like you said, this doesn't stop me doing it in the future. Is CMAS*** equivalent to DM for crossing over?

Thanks again

Kelly

Does the Uni your going to have a dive club, most in the UK are BSAC. You can then train up to BSAC Advanced Diver which is a 3 star equivalence.

 

[GoProHonduras]

A CMAS*** would meet the prerequisite leadership level for a PADI IDC, though I would recommend some familiarization with the skills covered in the PADI DM skills circuit and Open Water course plus going through the PADI Encyclopedia/Diving Knowledge workbook before enrolling in an IDC.

 

[Phil_C]

The UK Health and Safety Executive Diving Regulation sets Standards and specifies CMAS Three Star as the minimum level to dive as part of your job in some industries, (by this it means diving is not the job, just an occasional part of it), with respect to other agency qualifications it publishes a list of equivalences in the regulation and in this is states that where it requires CMAS 3* it will accept PADI DM as an equivalent, so PADI DM or CMAS 3* are considered equal in UK law for the purpose of the regulation - not that they are the same skills for any other purpose.

I did CMAS three star myself, and do a bit of archaeological diving which is one of the categories of diving which allows a recreational qualification. BUT beware - the UK law also states that if you do diving for WORK then you still need to have the HSE Part I or Part II or equivalent (Health and Safety Executive professional qualification) certificate depending on what and where you you do your diving.

So on my CMAS 3* I can dive as a volunteer on an archaeological project, but I cannot be EMPLOYED as project staff without the requisite HSE certificate.

If you want to work in the diving field you may well require the HSE cert and not just the CMAS 3*/BSAC Advanced/PADI DM whichever route you go down - the regulation can be a nightmare.

Have fun - Phil.

 

[Subcooled]

CMAS *** is cheaper than PADI rescue diver + dive master.

 

[EloiseNavarro]

According to me PADI is better for a bright future as it provides some of the best courses. Such as-
Emergency Oxygen Provider - when you come across a diving incident you need to be able to help divers in need, you do not learn oxygen administration during the Rescue course so this course is a must for every dive professional!
Boat or Equipment Service Specialist - Do you know how to service a regulator or deal with minor errors that can ruin the dive for you and other divers? This is a great course that teaches you how to take care of your equipment which leads to safe and confident diving!
Nitrox specialty –By reducing the Nitrogen levels in your body diving is much safer and it greatly reduces the risk of DCS especially when diving as a dive professional. Also, the fact that you are less tired and have more energy after diving is a huge benefit!!
AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation - Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course teaches you about the vital role coral reefs play in the marine environment and how these ecosystems are currently threatened. The course familiarizes you the current state of the world's coral reefs and explains how you as a Dive master may advise individuals to help protect the living reef from further decline.
Navigation Specialist - As a Dive master you can lead divers anywhere in the world. Your divers count on you being their dive guide for finding the boat and / or exit point. Can we know all the reefs in the world? No we can’t, but in the Navigation Specialist course you learn all kinds of navigation patterns and practice them on 3 different dives and the use of the Navy finder chart which allows any reef to be drawn and detailed whilst diving.

 

[Edward3c]

According to me PADI is better for a bright future as it provides some of the best courses. Such as-
Emergency Oxygen Provider - when you come across a diving incident you need to be able to help divers in need, you do not learn oxygen administration during the Rescue course so this course is a must for every dive professional!
Boat or Equipment Service Specialist - Do you know how to service a regulator or deal with minor errors that can ruin the dive for you and other divers? This is a great course that teaches you how to take care of your equipment which leads to safe and confident diving!
Nitrox specialty –By reducing the Nitrogen levels in your body diving is much safer and it greatly reduces the risk of DCS especially when diving as a dive professional. Also, the fact that you are less tired and have more energy after diving is a huge benefit!!
AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation - Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course teaches you about the vital role coral reefs play in the marine environment and how these ecosystems are currently threatened. The course familiarizes you the current state of the world's coral reefs and explains how you as a Dive master may advise individuals to help protect the living reef from further decline.
Navigation Specialist - As a Dive master you can lead divers anywhere in the world. Your divers count on you being their dive guide for finding the boat and / or exit point. Can we know all the reefs in the world? No we can’t, but in the Navigation Specialist course you learn all kinds of navigation patterns and practice them on 3 different dives and the use of the Navy finder chart which allows any reef to be drawn and detailed whilst diving.

Being UK based, Skill/knowledge that you would get/acquire whilst doing BSAC Advanced Diver:


Diver rescue
Rescue management
O2 administration
Navigation (compass, pilotage, etc)
Dive planning
Expedition management
Decompression dive management
Experience of diving beyond 30m
DSMB experience from a variety of depths/situations
Dive Leading
Chartwork & Position fixing
RIB and/or Charter boat diving
Wreck diving
Drift diving
Environmental awareness

There are more, like personal development, team leading and presentation skills.

 

[rivers]

According to me PADI is better for a bright future as it provides some of the best courses. Such as-
Emergency Oxygen Provider - when you come across a diving incident you need to be able to help divers in need, you do not learn oxygen administration during the Rescue course so this course is a must for every dive professional!
Boat or Equipment Service Specialist - Do you know how to service a regulator or deal with minor errors that can ruin the dive for you and other divers? This is a great course that teaches you how to take care of your equipment which leads to safe and confident diving!
Nitrox specialty –By reducing the Nitrogen levels in your body diving is much safer and it greatly reduces the risk of DCS especially when diving as a dive professional. Also, the fact that you are less tired and have more energy after diving is a huge benefit!!
AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation - Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course teaches you about the vital role coral reefs play in the marine environment and how these ecosystems are currently threatened. The course familiarizes you the current state of the world's coral reefs and explains how you as a Dive master may advise individuals to help protect the living reef from further decline.
Navigation Specialist - As a Dive master you can lead divers anywhere in the world. Your divers count on you being their dive guide for finding the boat and / or exit point. Can we know all the reefs in the world? No we can’t, but in the Navigation Specialist course you learn all kinds of navigation patterns and practice them on 3 different dives and the use of the Navy finder chart which allows any reef to be drawn and detailed whilst diving.

You can do courses like this with most recreational agencies. I did my O2 course with my bsac club. BSAC Ocean diver lets divers use 32 and 36% nitrox, Sports any nitrox mix up to 40%. I'm guessing CMAS has something similar. SSI, SDI, NAUI most likely have similar courses. I'm not knocking PADI in any sense of the word (hell, I'm in the middle of my DM training at the moment), but PADI is not the only agency that offers these or similar courses.

 

[DCBC]

...I have found a very good instructor who is willing to allow me to undertake a CMAS*** internship with them in Spain for 2 months....

Hi Kelly, the CMAS program from one to three stars (* to ***) is usually more inclusive than that of PADI (course training time, number/type of dives, etc.) I would encourage you to go the CMAS route for knowledge and experience and the PADI route to maximize your chances of employment.

Keep in-mind that if your goal is to become a PADI Instructor, you'll need to either be a PADI DM or a certified Instructor with another agency for a 6 month period before attending an instructor training program. As I mentioned, the World Underwater Federation requirements are more involved, so I think PADI is the easiest route (if that's what you're looking for).

 

[WheelsUSN]

Keep in-mind that if your goal is to become a PADI Instructor, you'll need to either be a PADI DM or a certified Instructor with another agency for a 6 month period before attending an instructor training program.

That is incorrect, the prerequisites for attending a PADI Instructor Development Course are:
1.Dive Leader certification — PADI Divemaster or leadership-level certification with a recognized recreational diver training organization who is either:
a. an instructor member in good standing, or
b. a diver with proof of certification in diver supervision and management including proof of rescue diving certification; 60 logged dives; documented experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation.

 

[DCBC]

That is incorrect, the prerequisites for attending a PADI Instructor Development Course are:
1.Dive Leader certification — PADI Divemaster or leadership-level certification with a recognized recreational diver training organization who is either:
a. an instructor member in good standing, or
b. a diver with proof of certification in diver supervision and management including proof of rescue diving certification; 60 logged dives; documented experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation.

I'm not up-to-date on all PADI policies; I got my PADI Instructor card by sending a copy of my NAUI card and enclosing $25... The PADI Website however lists the following:

Prerequisites

To qualify for training as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, you must:

• Be certified as a PADI Divemaster or a PADI Assistant Instructor or be an instructor in good standing with another training organization for at least six months (check with a PADI Course Director or Contact Us for qualifying credentials.)

Perhaps they should be advised that they've posted incorrect/misleading information. Thanks for the clarification Chief.