| Learning how to scuba dive is your ticket to the | | | | 6. How Many People Have They Certified? |
| ultimate underwater adventure. The scuba | | | | 7. How Many Certification Courses Have They |
| certification that you earn is internationally recognized, | | | | Taught? |
| never expires, and allows you to rent or purchase | | | | Good instructors, who have an extensive resume of |
| your own diving equipment. You'll soon discover, | | | | experience teaching scuba certification courses, are |
| however, that there is no shortage of dive | | | | extremely hard to find. Dive shops have a notoriously |
| companies out there competing for your hard earned | | | | high turnover ratio of scuba instructors to staff. |
| dollars. It can be a daunting task trying to find one | | | | Many of the ones who are there are recent hires, |
| that has a proven track record of honesty, integrity, | | | | and have very little real world experience. They also |
| and reliability, while at the same time providing a | | | | work long hours for very little money, generally |
| positive certification experience for both you and | | | | getting paid by the activity, not by the hour. Insist on |
| your family. To help you comparison shop, I've | | | | someone who has certified at least 25 people, and |
| compiled a list of questions any potential certification | | | | has been teaching a minimum of one year. |
| student needs to ask before getting certified. (There | | | | 8. Is The Instructor First Aid/CPR Certified? |
| are a number of different scuba training organizations | | | | While PADI doesn't require its scuba instructors to |
| that a dive company can be affiliated with. This | | | | hold these important certifications, any instructor |
| article deals primarily with certification courses | | | | who's serious about teaching a certification course |
| sanctioned by PADI: Professional Association of | | | | needs to go the extra mile and make this a |
| Diving Instructors, the largest scuba training | | | | requirement, not an option. |
| organization in the world). | | | | 9. Will The Course Be Taught Using Rotating |
| 1.How Long Does The Certification Course Last? | | | | Instructors? |
| Scuba certification is performance based, meaning | | | | This is a common practice some dive operations use |
| there is no set amount of hours required for | | | | where one instructor "Team Teaches" the course |
| completion. You move from one level to the next | | | | with another, exposing you to differing personalities |
| during the course at your own pace. You will find | | | | and teaching methods that will only confuse you. |
| that most PADI certification courses advertised are | | | | Unless you are doing a referral certification, where |
| based around an estimated 3 day time frame for | | | | you are starting and finishing your course in different |
| completion. For the average person, however, this | | | | locations, steer clear. |
| may not be enough time. 4 days for certification is a | | | | 10. Will Both Instructor And Student Use Similar |
| much more realistic goal. | | | | Equipment Setups During The Course? |
| 2.How Much Does The Certification Course Cost? | | | | When both instructor and student are using the same |
| Lowball prices are designed for 2 reasons.... to attract | | | | brand of scuba gear, and have similarly designed |
| your attention, and to get you in the door. The | | | | equipment configurations, it allows students to learn |
| hidden charges for the course, such as books and | | | | faster and easier, both in and out of the water, |
| equipment rental, are conveniently never advertised. | | | | during the certification course. |
| Look for an all inclusive certification course | | | | 11. Will The Course Incorporate A Giant RDP Table |
| experience. Remember, in the end, you always get | | | | Into The Academic Sessions? |
| what you pay for. | | | | Learning how to use the dive tables is perhaps the |
| 3. Are References Available From The Most Recent | | | | toughest academic challenge a student faces during |
| Students? | | | | the certification course. A quality dive operation will |
| Always ask for phone or E-mail references from the | | | | have available a giant version of the standard dive |
| most recent certification students who have just | | | | table, allowing students to more easily master this |
| completed the course. Don't settle for written quotes | | | | important academic information. |
| that are years old and taken from some database of | | | | 12. Can I Get A Student Discount After Getting |
| generic customer comments. If a lame excuse or | | | | Certified? |
| noncommittal answer is given, take your business | | | | Any reputable dive operation should give you a |
| elsewhere. A quality dive operation that has nothing | | | | generous student discount towards future diving |
| to hide will be happy to provide such references. | | | | activities and/or equipment purchases you make |
| 4. Who Is The Instructor? | | | | from them, in appreciation for taking their certification |
| 5. How Long Have They Been An Instructor? | | | | course. |