A Look into Unique and Exciting Certifications Offered by SSI and PADI
There are two main scuba certification agencies through which most people get scuba certified. These two companies are PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) and SSI (Scuba Schools International). When you go to get your scuba certification, the certification will follow classes developed by one of these two agencies. Upon completion of the course, you are then either PADI certified or SSI certified.
There are different advantages to both certification agencies, but it comes down to your own preference. For advice on choosing between the agencies, click here.
For the purpose of this article, you’ll learn about truly unique certifications that both agencies offer including cave diver, rescue diver, nitrox diver, and dozens more!
Popular PADI Scuba Certifications
–Open Water Diver: “the world’s most popular and widely recognized scuba course.” Includes academic sessions, confined water dives, and 4 open water dives. You’re able to dive to a depth of 60 feet with this certification.
–Advanced Open Water Diver: “The course helps build confidence and expand your scuba skills through different Adventure Dives…and develop capabilities as you find new ways to have fun scuba diving.” What’s cool about this certification is that your instructor will let you choose what Adventure Dives you want to do, so you can pack it full of things like photography, buoyancy control, fish identification, exploring wrecks and many more. You’ll also be able to explore deeper- up to 100 feet.
–Rescue Diver: “Learn to prevent and manage problems in the water, and become more confident in your skills as a diver. It’s challenging, yet very rewarding… You learn to become a better buddy by practicing problem solving skills until they become second nature. Plus, the course is just fun.”
–Enriched Air Diver: “The most popular PADI specialty course. Scuba diving with enriched air nitrox gives you more no decompression time, especially on repetitive scuba dives… If staying down longer and getting back in the water sooner sounds appealing, then don’t hesitate to become an enriched air diver.”
–Divemaster: “The PADI Divemaster course is your first level of professional training…You’ll lead others as you supervise scuba diving activities and assist with diver training… As a divemaster, you not only get to dive a lot, but also experience the joy of seeing others have as much fun diving as you do.”
*Check out the full list of Scuba Certifications that PADI offers here. There’s some really neat certifications that they offer that you might just want to see for yourself!
Popular SSI Scuba Certifications
–Basic Diver: allows you to become a scuba diver quickly. Rather than having to do extensive training, pool sessions, and several open water dives, you only have to do 1 pool session, an academic session, and 1 open water dive to become certified. You are, however, only allowed to go a maximum depth of 40 feet.
–Open Water Diver: the most common certification for all divers. Includes an online academic session, 6 pool sessions, and 4 open water dives. This certification allows you to dive to a maximum depth of 60 feet.
–Advanced Adventurer: this course allows you to experience 5 different specialty courses into one. It’s a cool way to get a taste of the different specialty courses that SSI offers without actually committing to one of those courses.
–Night Diving and Limited Visibility: “This program provides the skills and concepts required to safely and comfortably dive at night or in limited visibility conditions.”
–Shark Ecology: “Learn how nature’s most feared predator is actually a beautiful animal that deserves our respect and protection.”
*SSI offers some awesome courses that you should check out just for the fun of it or if you’re at all interested! To find out more on the courses that SSI offers, click here.
Diving Deeper 