Ssi vs padi certification

[tflaris]

NAUI
Founded by Instructors and therefore a 50/50 relationship between material provided by the Agency and the input by the Instructor. Agency always has stressed over teaching. Instructors can teach independent of the dive shop.

Tables taught
SAC Rates taught

Test can be oral, open or closed book.

I find the course material to be more technical in nature which is good for some people.

SSI
Founded by Shop owners/Dealers and therefore a 80/20 split. 80 percent of the material, liability videos, course material controlled by the Agency. More student, instructor sign-offs at the different phases. Pool, classes, checkouts, etc. than NAUI.

Instructors cannot teach independently. Home Study a key component of SSI. Comfort through repetition also a key component of SSI.

Tables taught.
SAC Rate taught

Test is closed book and can only be taken under the supervision of an Instructor.

Cannot tell you about PADI

It's alway the Instructor that's important, rarely the agencies.

It's always been the case when I'm the student.

The descriptions above are a simplistic way to view the different agencies.

I find both agencies are rewarding to teach for and allow academic freedom.

Safe Diving

Tony Flaris

NAUI 44662
SSI 26849








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[boulderjohn]

BTW - do you also cover hooded vests, dressing rooms, and emergency procedures for hood removal? That remains a SB classic!

There is a question about tight fitting hoods in the PADI knowledge reviews. Occasionally I jokingly refer to my experience, saying "and there is another reason to be careful." Once when I did that, a student's eyes got wide, and she said, "You're Boulderjohn!" She had found the thread on a humor web site.

 

[ti325v]

Hi All..
Just to clarify a little bit....When I did my PADI IDC with a "platinum" course director" I was told in NO uncertain terms that standards are STANDARDS....and it was pretty much not my job to discuss the issue...Teach to STANDARDS. Not above, not below. Do I teach above ? I cannot say in a public forum, but the fact that we take as long as a student needs to be proficient and safe for the same price as a person who nails it the first time may lead you to the answer...
My other ( agency unnamed) CD told me in no UNCERTAIN terms, the course is 80% standards, 20% at my discretion. This same CD did however criticize my first O.W. instructor for over teaching ( This was years ago, and they both worked together....well his style worked for me VERY well.
I became an instructor, and only hope I am as good as he was.
Of course, some people are more interested in certain aspects of diving then others..It is here that I use my discretion....teach what is interesting to each individual student, additional skills, marine biology, whatever I can do to excite and interest them. I am sure their skills are up to par, regardless of agency..Diving is diving. Heck I know one Course director ( Cannot name agency) who does not even care if the students read the book, he then coaches them through the knowledge reviews and tests.
He spends an hour and a half in the pool...then throws them in open water....So it is the instructor....This one guy became a course director 1.5 years after his open water course.
I worked with an instructor trainer for another agency and my dive master candidates are better then he was,,,I was teaching him ! ( He was supposed to be teaching me !)
I prefer SSI for the freedom they give me, and my feeling that they are more customer oriented. I teach PADI because the market demands it and SSI has not completed their D.M. program.

 

[jbird71]

I spent a lot of time choosing my certification agency. My brother-in-law went with ACUC and I was impresses at their thoroughness. But in the end I chose PADI because its the largest and very international, which meets my needs as a traveling diver.

Without knocking PADI, I can appreciate that there are more "thorough" certifications and there are some areas where I do not agree with their methods. But at the end of the day certifications are just pieces of paper and you are responsible for your own learning. I treat my certifications as the START of my education, and not the END. The great thing about the Diving community is its members are very willing to share their knowledge.