Choosing a Scuba Instructor

Contributed by QuestionSense Editors

What scuba training and certification organization do you use?
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SSI or Scuba Schools International - SSI is a worldwide diving training organization that specializes in business support for dive businesses that was established in 1970. It is, in fact, the largest school-based training agency in the world with various regional centers, and its certification is widely accepted throughout the world. They have a SSI Facility Search feature on their website if you need to get region-specific information.\012NAUI or National Association of Underwater Instructors - NAUI Worldwide was established in 1959 as a non-profit diving membership association, and organized solely to support and promote Dive Safety through education, which has now become the second largest diver training organization. Their training programs include Skin Diver through Instructor Course Director, with several specialty courses including Search and Recovery Diver, Scuba Rescue Diver, Nitrox and technical diving.\012PADI or Professional Association of Diving Instructors - Among the recreational diving membership organizations, PADI is the world's largest, with offices in Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States. PADI started in 1967 and the main corporate headquarters is located in California, and is known as PADI Worldwide.
How long does the certification course take to complete?
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Three to four days for training certification is a realistic goal.
How much does the certification course cost?
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Make sure it includes books, certification testing and equipment rental.
Are phone or e-mail references available from students of your most recent class?
Who is the instructor?
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Insist on someone who has certified at least 25 people and has been teaching a minimum of one year. How long have they been an instructor, how many people have they certified, how many certification courses have they taught.
Is the instructor first aid/CPR certified?
Will the course be taught using rotating instructors?
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This is a common practice some dive operations use where one instructor "team teaches" the course with another, exposing you to differing personalities and teaching methods that will only confuse you.
Will both instructor and student use similar equipment setups during the course?
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When both instructor and student are using the same brand of scuba gear, and have similarly designed equipment configurations, it allows students to learn faster and easier, both in and out of the water, during the certification course.
Will the course incorporate a giant Recreational Diving Planner (RDP) table into the academic sessions?
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Learning how to use the dive tables is perhaps the toughest academic challenge a student faces during the certification course. A quality dive operation will have available a giant version of the standard dive table, allowing students to more easily master this important information.
What specialty certifications do you offer?
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Some common certifications are: \012Open Water Scuba Diving Certification\012Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver Certification\012Nitrox Diver Course\012Rescue Diver Course\012Divemaster Course\012Cavern Course\012Cave Diver Course\012Salvage and Wreck Diving Courses\012Junior Divers