Scuba Certification

Scuba Certification Questions You Need To Ask Before Getting Certified

PADI is the Professional Association of Scuba Diving Instructors, the largest scuba certification organization in the world. PADI develops scuba programs and diver training products, monitors scuba training conducted by more than 100,000 PADI Professionals worldwide, maintains diver certification records and issues your diver certification credentials. In addition, PADI maintains various support services for PADI Dive Centers and Resorts. Since its inception in 1966 PADI has grown to have members in more than 175 countries and territories and international service offices in nine countries. Approximately seven out of ten North American divers are certified by PADI, and approximately 55 percent of all divers worldwide are certified by PADI.

Always make sure your diving instructor is PADI certified.

1. How Long Does The Certification Course Last?
Scuba certification is performance based, meaning there is no set amount of hours required for completion. You move from one level to the next during the course at your own pace. You will find that most PADI certification courses advertised are based around an estimated 3 day time frame for completion. For the average person, however, this may not be enough time. 4 days for certification is a much more realistic goal.

2. How Much Does The Certification Course Cost?
Lowball prices are designed for 2 reasons.... to attract your attention, and to get you in the door. The hidden charges for the course, such as books and equipment rental, are conveniently never advertised. Look for an all inclusive certification course experience. Remember, in the end, you always get what you pay for.

3. Are References Available From The Most Recent Students?
Always ask for phone or E-mail references from the most recent certification students who have just completed the course. Don't settle for written quotes that are years old and taken from some database of generic customer comments. If a lame excuse or noncommittal answer is given, take your business elsewhere. A quality dive operation that has nothing to hide will be happy to provide such references.

4. Who Is The Instructor?

5. How Long Have They Been An Instructor?

6. How Many People Have They Certified?

7. How Many Certification Courses Have They Taught?
Good instructors, who have an extensive resume of experience teaching scuba certification courses, are extremely hard to find. Dive shops have a notoriously high turnover ratio of scuba instructors to staff. Many of the ones who are there are recent hires, and have very little real world experience. They also work long hours for very little money, generally getting paid by the activity, not by the hour. Insist on someone who has certified at least 25 people, and has been teaching a minimum of one year.

8. Is The Instructor First Aid/CPR Certified?
In order to become a PADI instructor, one must complete the Rescue Diver certification. PADI requires current CPR/First Aid training for one to receive Rescue Diver certification. Most instructors are also First Aid/CPR Instructors.

9. Will The Course Be Taught Using Rotating Instructors?
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. Unless you are doing a referral certification, where you are starting and finishing your course in different locations, steer clear.

10. Will Both Instructor And Student Use Similar Equipment Setups During The Course?
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.

11. Will The Course Incorporate A Giant RDP Table Into The Academic Sessions?
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 academic information.

12. Can I Get A Student Discount After Getting Certified?
Any reputable dive operation should give you a generous student discount towards future diving activities and/or equipment purchases you make from them, in appreciation for taking their certification course.