PADI vs SSI

Replies 1-7 of 7

neilL added 2007-03-18

i did the PADI OW and am going to do the SDI AOW, i think the AOW from PADI is way to simple, with SDI you need to have X number of dives and then do a fair bit more than PADI's AOW. just a thought and personal opinion

give me my air by the tank thanks!

xntrek added 2007-03-19

Thanks neilL, I thought along similar lines ... I guess I'm looking at aiming towards eventually getting instructor certified under both ... and it seems doing the PADI AOW is required to make life easier to get the PADI certification.

Although I tend to agree with you on the way the two differ - seems PADI is very rigid on the way their courses are run, so while this seems to provide a uniform teaching format across all of their providers, it also means it reaches a lowest common denominator format.

SSI seems to have an 80/20 course set up - 80% dictated to achieve SSI rating and 20% to provide local knowledge, advanced options or instructor onus material.

-- Knocked, you weren't in. -- Oppurtunity.

EppeC added 2007-04-29

Hixntrek...

Just read you message....hope I am not to late with the advice..

Tis best to do the Padi Instructor Course then do cross over to SSI Instructor.

To do the other way...PADI will need you to do an IDC and IE.

It Costs about $600 dollars in Thaliland to do the crossover but am not sure what it costs in Australia.

I am a Padi MSDT and I am now looking at doing a crossover to BSAC.

Once at Professional level it must be PADI ....to start first.

In other wards.....to start a Padi Instructor course...you must be a PADI Dive Master...or equivalent.

Make you life easy and less expensive...go Padi then crossover.

Is always good to have a couple of schools of thought tucked under your hood.

happy blowing bubbles. eppe

TabithaH added 2007-05-20

Hi there, I did my open water with SSI and am now a PADI divemaster. I recently asked a course director from Cairns this very question, and he gave me the very same advice as EppeC. If you are PADI qualified first, it is easier and less expensive to cross-over to SSI. I was recently quoted around $1000 to cross-over from PADI divemaster to SSI dive control specialist - more than I paid for my divemaster course! So, it is best to go PADI instructor first, then it is apparently little more than a formality to go SSI instructor.

live on the edge...otherwise you're taking up too much space!!

AngleireS added 2008-04-30

Read in another Forum: "By Law, you don't need to be certified by either PADI or SSI (etc) to go diving..." This sounds true. Why should we spend money on these establishments to go diving? "...it's just a shame that the greater majority of people wishing to dive aren't financially capable of supplying their own gear, tanks, fills, dive-boat, etc etc." This also rings true. A lot of places won't give you air-fills unless you provide SSI/PADI certification. If you do your own air-fills then bobs-your-uncle. I personally think a new Australian (or Pan-Oceanic) establishment will form and actually stick-around for keeps, that will offer 'cheaper and better' alternatives to PADI/SSI/etc. Sadly, I think this establishment will induce certification with LAW to back it up.

Emma added 2008-08-25

Hi xntrek!

AngleireS is totally right, it is not illegal to go diving without a certification. But, as we all know, if you don't know what you're doing diving can be very dangerous.

That is why no dive centers will fill your tank etc. if you don't have a certification.

As for going pro, SSI and PADI are similar in many ways and they have almost the same standards. But like others have written above it's easier to cross over from PADI.

PADI is also the most recognized organization in the world and if you're willing to work it will be easy to get a job almost anywhere.

Hope I've been to some help.

Have a good one.

Sanna

Phuket Thailand IDC. Scuba diving holidays: Similan Islands Phuket Thailand Liveaboards. Work and live in Thailand.

edwinJ added 2010-10-04

Nice post.

Replies 1-7 of 7

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