Difference in PADI designations

[WILLVINO]

This may seem like a silly question but I was wondering if anyone knew what are the differences between the padi designations given to dive centers such as Gold Palm vs 5 Star Padi center? I looked at the Padi site but could not find anything but I am not always the best at navigating webpages..

BTW, this board is very interesting and I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read and to respond. It is a great learning tool for newer divers like me (I only have about 25 dives and just got my advanced certification - finally comfortable in the water which has been a big deal for me given that I only learned how to swim 10 years ago and turned 40 not too long ago).

We dove the Stav in Barbados and wow - this has been one of my favorite dives so far..

thanks for any responses.

 

[Kingpatzer]

There are some criteria around the staff training requirements (having a course director versus not, having master scuba instructors versus only scuba instructors, etc.).

There are some criteria around passing and maintaing good instructional standing (PADI does do formal follow up on course instruction -- surveying students, auditing classes, etc.).

There are some criteria around paying fees for the priviledge of displaying the award.

There are criteria around refusing to teach any other agency's classes unless there is no PADI equivilant (and even then, in some cases it's not allowed).

 

[vshearer]

Where to Go Pro?

Basically a Gold Palm is a resort and and the Dive Center is, well, a Dive Center professional scuba shop.

 

[Trixxie]

I used to only go to 5 star centers for training but now I know that there are shops that have not earned that rating, either by choice (teaching other agencies besides PADI) or being new like my shop is and they are just as good as the 5 star centers. One of the goals of our shop is to be a 5-Star IDC center.

PADI Dive Center
A PADI Dive Center is a professional business that engages in the retail sale of recreational scuba diving equipment, dive instruction and dive services. PADI Dive Centers have demonstrated a commitment to PADI education by offering
PADI certification courses and experience programs. Other services offered to the public by a PADI Dive Center include recreational scuba equipment rental and repair, compressed air, recreational scuba diving or snorkeling activities, and travel opportunities. PADI Dive Centers are required to provide customers with a clean, orderly and comfortable facility in which to shop. Dive center students must receive instruction using modern, well-maintained equipment during all classroom,
confined water and open water sessions. PADI Dive Centers must have safety equipment, such as a first aid kit and oxygen, available during dive activities and incorporate environmental awareness into recreational scuba and snorkeling adventures.
PADI Dive Centers that operate boats must be equipped with appropriate safety equipment and also adhere to safety procedures, such as complete briefings and appropriate diver accountability procedures.

PADI 5 Star Dive Center
The PADI 5 Star Dive Center membership level is awarded, on an annual basis, to progressive PADI Dive Centers that excel in providing dive consumers with a full range of diver education programs, equipment selection, and experience opportunities and that actively promote aquatic environmental awareness. A PADI 5 Star Dive Center is active in its community presenting a professional image consistent with, or better than, the norm of the marketplace. These dive centers embrace the PADI System of diver education and are committed to providing customers with quality products, services and experiences. PADI 5 Star Dive Centers regularly communicate with customers and consistently offer continuing education programs. In addition to excellent training programs, these dive centers promote both local diving activities and dive travel opportunities to keep divers active. Beyond those benefits they already have as PADI Dive Centers, PADI 5 Star Dive Centers can purchase PADI products at increased discount rates, receive special recognition in PADI advertising and promotional pieces, and can issue special gold PADI certification cards.

PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center
A PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center (5 Star IDC) is a dive center that not only meets all 5 Star Dive Center standards, but also offers PADI Instructor-level training. A PADI 5 Star IDC offers dive consumers programs to fulfill their educational goals from entry-level training up through instructor-level certifications. Beyond those benefits they already have as PADI 5 Star Dive Centers, PADI 5 Star IDCs can advertise their instructor development programs in the PADI Calendar and in The Undersea Journal. They also receive the id news, which contains articles about instructor training and information regarding changes, revisions and updates to the PADI System.

PADI 5 Star Carer Development Center
A PADI 5 Star Career Development Center (CDC) is a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center (5 Star IDC) that meets all PADI 5 Star IDC requirements and also offers additional professional development training. These dive centers are wellestablished businesses with proven success in training PADI Instructors. Because of the services offered, PADI 5 Star CDCs are places where candidates receive training to prepare them for careers in the dive industry. PADI divers, members, and the dive industry at large all benefit from the PADI 5 Star CDC’s commitment
to professional development and excellence.
Beyond those benefits they already have as PADI 5 Star IDCs, PADI 5 Star CDCs benefit from PADI’s Instructor Development marketing and promotional efforts that place institutional advertisements in dive publications and position the
CDCs’ quality and prestige. They also may offer graduates of their six week career development program special credentials and recognition materials.

PADI Retailer Association
The PADI Retailer Association has two primary membership levels and two additional classifications that signify varying levels of commitment to offering PADI diver education, dive equipment sales, service and dive experiences. A PADI Dive Center is a retail dive store that meets membership standards regarding dive education, equipment sales, service and experience opportunities. PADI Dive Centers may qualify for additional recognition awards by offering exceptional service in the following categories: 1) diver education programs, 2)
community service, and 3) environmental activities.
A PADI 5 Star Dive Center is a progressive, professional retail dive store that has not only earned all the individual recognition awards, but also maintains high service levels and standards for excellence in dive retailing. PADI 5 Star Dive Centers that also qualify to offer PADI Instructor-level training are classified as
PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centers (5 Star IDCs). PADI 5 Star IDCs that conduct additional instructor-level training and meet requirements for assisting dive leaders in reaching their educational and professional goals may qualify for the PADI 5 Star Career Development Center (CDC) award.

 

[japan-diver]

The descriptions sent are nice but it really boils down to the how many staff they have and how big a check they wrote to PADI it has no reflection on the quality of instruction you will receive at all. In some locations better quality is found at the dive center than the 5 star IDC center or the best shop could be the non-affiliated shop or even other agency shop. The best way to find quality is try to find former customers and ask for their impressions not rely on the agency designation for the shop.

 

[rawls]

The descriptions sent are nice but it really boils down to the how many staff they have and how big a check they wrote to PADI

Really....There are 6 staff members at the dive center I instruct at...Discovery DIving in Beaufort, NC. All are not full time. We are opened all year until 9:00 PM. This dive shop is a 5 Star Dive Center. Every criteria listed as a requirement to be a 5 Star Dive Center must be met...It has absolutely nothing to do how big a check we send PADI or how many staff we have. We have to maintain adherence to the requirements and this dive operation adheres to each and every one of the criteria.

The statement you make about staffing and how big a check is written to PADI shows that you have no idea what you are talking about. If you disagree then show documented proof that the criteria is based on how many staff there are and how big a check is written to PADI is the criteria for meeting the requirements of being a 5 Star Dive Center. It is blanket statements such as you made that conveys extraordinarily bad taste...

 

[rawls]

Double post...

 

[friscuba]

When I first started diving, I took a vacation to Oahu. I stopped in at a shop near where I lived and they opened up the book... Ah, this is the highest rated shop in Oahu... 5 Star... got there and nobody spoke much English, all the gear was marked in yen, and the help looked at me funny. Then I started just checking out places on my own.

The designation can definitely give you an idea of how much business they do, as certain milestones (usually student counts) need to be met to obtain some of the higher designations, but may not give you much more. The Instructor you find at a 5 Star shop may be very experienced, or may be fresh out of the IDC and taught ony a very few classes if any, while an operation completely non-listed with PADI might have PADI Instructors with hundreds of certifications under their belts. To become an official PADI facility money has to exchange hands, while the Instructors are allowed to teach outside official facilities, so a company not having any special designation may not mean much. It'a probably best to ask specifically about how long the crew's worked, etc.

 

[japan-diver]

Sorry to offend you with my post but just to clarify. I have worked full time in the scuba industry for over 12 years and have managed and consulted for some of the largest dive resorts, stores in the world, I have been a manufacturers rep and filled just about every job there is in the industry so I might know a little about what I am talking about. I have also managed both PADI resorts/stores and other agency facilities. PADI has Gold Palm resorts, 5 star centers, NAUI has Pro Platinum centers, SSI has other designations for theirs- I can't recall what they call them at this time...

To meet the qualifications for certain levels for all of these you must have certain levels of instructors on staff- (Course Director, MSDT for PADI etc...) therefore that is what I mean by number of staff (Although many 5 star centers meet the CD requirement by having one on contract not direct staff) The second statement is quite true, check your books if you are 5 star it requires a bigger check than to be listed as a dive center etc... This is true for all agencies PADI, NAUI, SSI etc.. The bigger check you send the better discount you get on materials, and the more advertising you get on agencies website and others- if you read the qualifications of the different rating for PADI posted earlier you will see this to be true. With all the shops and resorts that I worked with to achieve a desired rating all we did was fill in a form and send a check. All of the "requirements" to met a specific level are things any decent shop offers or does anyway but many do not get the 5 star rating because it limits you to one agency and discounts can be negotiated in other ways.
So for those that are looking for good instruction or resorts the agency rating of the shop or resort mean little to nothing about the quality you may or may not receive while there as a client- word of mouth is better, talk to those who have been there.

 

[SCUBASTEVEN]

I must agree with japan-diver it is about the size of the check for the 5 star. It has NO conection with the quality of the instructors.

I have not been in the biz for that long but 3 years at a resort over seas and 3 years LDS state side both "PADI 5 star".