PADI vs. SDI

[Nikki McAllen]

Gosh thanks for the quick information on this issue. I think its good information for people to know when choosing a career.

I suspected the limitations of SSI, which are very limiting to the traveling instructor. Unfortunately, while they are not the '800 pound gorilla' they are surely the '400 pounder' at least in Asia. The other dive certification agencies don't seem to have much representation, except for BSAC and as mentioned they don't allow freelancing either.

So it looks to me the international traveling instructor has not much choice but to 'Put Another Dollar In'. Sad really: I've always been a "Macintosh user" to use metaphor.

One might ponder: did PADI get such its monstrous share of the market because it's really that good ? Or did they get it by allowing people to run with their product ?

Worked well for Bill Gates -- for awhile anyway. Apple has now become the biggest tech company in the world by basing their winning strategy on innovation and control. Wonder what the future holds for SSI and BSAC ?

 

[Davidstealey3]

if you want to make a carear out of diving and want to do it abroad you need to go PADI.
most of the shops out there are PADI and it will make it eaiser for you to get a job. That being said it is not bad to have both certs in your pocket. do all of your training with one agency then just do a crossover when you get the highest ranking you desire to have.

the problem with that though is you will then have two agencies to renew with every year instead of one. plus you will have to teach students under both of them to keep with the standards. not a big problem, but if you are abroad and they do not teach under any of the other agencies you wont be able to fulfill you requirments.

so if you are staying in the USA and want to work with your current shop you can do both with no problem and things will be fine. if you plan on moving just do the PADI. you will save some money in the long run.

Good luck with your choice

 

[kanonfodr]

I know several local instructors who certify under many different agencies (PADI, SDI/TDI, NAUI, etc). Crossing over doesn't seem to be much of a big deal.

Peace,
Greg

 

[japan-diver]

if you want to make a carear out of diving and want to do it abroad you need to go PADI.


Good luck with your choice

This is not quite true- I work overseas and know many other instructors that do that do not have a PADI cert. PADI is the biggest and seems to be the easiest to get a job with but that is not always true. PADI being the biggest also makes you a small fish in a very crowded pond having other agencies can make you employable over just a PADI only instructor. Find the agency that best fits your style of teaching and go with that one. Almost all the major agencies NAUI, PADI, SSI would allow you to work just about anywhere. I have worked all over Asia with just a NAUI cert for over 15 years now.

 

[openmindOW]

I am just about to start my divemaster training and not sure which way I should go.

Focus on getting the best training you can get, not the quickest.

Find an Instructor who will give you training above the minimum required standards.

Ask to assist with teaching classes. That's a terrific way to learn.

Take some specialties, such as Nitrox, to improve your dive knowledge. Take good CPR, First Aid and O2 administration courses.

DM is a professional rating. Treat it that way. You are learning to supervise and teach divers.

Focus on becoming excellent. By doing so, you will earn the respect of other dive professionals. They will be more likely to hire you if they know you went through a thorough training program.

SSI doe not allow for independent instruction to the degree that other agencies do, so I recommend staying away from SSI.

Good luck.

 

[Karibelle]

PADI seems more about initial instruction and not nearly as much about professional leadership to advanced divers.

I'd say this is an "instructor" thing as opposed to an "agency" thing.

Personally, I'd much rather offer continuing education to existing students, and love bringing them up through the program to DM, which is the highest level to which I can teach. I'm looking forward to the time when I can create Assistant Instructors as well. Master Scuba Divers are also good, from my perspective. Known quantities as students are lots of fun to work with.

-kari

 

[vailchef]

One vote for TDI/SDI. My OW was PADI, but since then I have counted on SDI. My old PADI shop seemed more intent on selling than teaching. I work with a girl who has her PADI RD. She can't, and hasn't ever been able to dive without a close partner. PADI did give her the Rescue Diver certificate though.

I was on a PADI liveaboard, (nope, no names) and one of the guys in our advanced class that day lost it at about 35m. He was still descending when he flew by us hanging on the wall at 45m, the DM in hot pursuit. She told herself she was stopping at 70 but grabbed him about 10m below that.

We finished our quick bottom time, headed to 25 m, and slowly circled the mount we were diving. When we were hanging at 10 meters, we saw the two of them on the bow line, with the deco tank. They came back aboard an hour after us, shaken and stirred.

That night, he and the rest of us all got our certificates.

 

[hypertech]

A better question is what do you from training to be a DM. If you like this shop and are doing it to teach/assist with their classes, go with the agency they are using.

If it's just because you want to, find the instructor you want to mentor you in the course and go with that agency.

Padi is generally more well known, but I've never seen a card from other agencies dishonored.

 

[Davidstealey3]

This is not quite true- I work overseas and know many other instructors that do that do not have a PADI cert. PADI is the biggest and seems to be the easiest to get a job with but that is not always true. PADI being the biggest also makes you a small fish in a very crowded pond having other agencies can make you employable over just a PADI only instructor. Find the agency that best fits your style of teaching and go with that one. Almost all the major agencies NAUI, PADI, SSI would allow you to work just about anywhere. I have worked all over Asia with just a NAUI cert for over 15 years now.

This is what I was told by an instructor that holds various recreational and technical certs from different agencies. There are other shops abroad that teach under different agencies, but padi is the largest. And if you want to work for them and don't have a padi instructor cert u might get looked over cause they have to wait for your crossover to be done. So while you might not have to do padi is just seems logical to have the padi when u go

 

[Heatheroe]

My husband and I are looking into getting certified. Our local shop here is SDI. Is this widely recognized in the Caribbean? I googled it but didn't come up with much. We don't want to be held back on a tropical vacation due to the school we got certified in. Sorry, I'm REALLY a newbie