Certification Agency

[Minion_Diver]

Is there any one agency that is better than the other. I know that many people have their preferences to which one they pick. But i have taken the OW course from PADI. I want to get my AOW this next summer and was wondering if I should keep with PADI for it or try another agency like SSI ir NAUI, both are available to me both at school and at home.

 

[fisheater]

Matters not.

 

[tstormdiver]

In the non professional ranks, most agencies are very similar. There may be some minor differences (having to have so many dives or full specialties instead of just adventure dives) to reach certain levels, but it is moslty the same. I will say the instructor will make or break the course more tahn anything. Find a thorough instructor who's style you like & go for it!

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

All the agency does is provide the umbrella to teach under. Anytime you take a course, interview a couple of instructors to find out what you will get out of the course as well as instructors background & diving philosophies.

If you look, there are a bunch of threads on this.

 

[rigdiver]

Try different instructor's for different courses = more points of view. NAUI does encourage their instructor's to go above and beyond standards.

 

[Davemohio]

I agree with Tammy's post above..

Largely depends on the Instructor and the LDS when it comes to AOW.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Compare courses and standards, look at what each instructor offers and decide what you want to get out of further training. Do you just want a card or an education. What do you want out of AOW. Access to sites that require the card or access and the knowledge skills to go with it. Some AOW courses are not much more than a taste or tour of what could be called advanced dives. Others will challenge you and take your skills to a new level or at the least show you just what you need to work on and how to do it. In some cases an LDs may limit what it's instructors may offer. Independents don't have those limitations and some of us go way beyond what is normally offered.

 

[Minion_Diver]

I want both skills and knowledge about diving as i move up in levels. I am hoping that one day i can incorporate diving into my career field.

 

[DevonDiver]

At that stage in the training flow, the courses are very simular regardless of agency. So the agency is not that important. However, not all instructors are of equal quality. It is far more critical to research and select the best instructor that you can.

I believe there are some very informative threads on SB that illustrate good tactics for sourcing and selecting an above-average instructor. It would be worthwhile to search for those.

 

[liuk3]

I would go to your local regional section on scubaboard and ask people or search the threads for recommendations on scuba instructors local to you. Then, go ahead and give the instructors a call or visit them and talk to them to get your personal vibe about them. The instructor certainly matters much more than the agency.