I'm back to looking at pursuing DM certification.
I'm not interested in teaching. My purpose would be to have appropriate training and credentials for leading club dive trips and having professional liability insurance.
As such, I would like to be free to work with any shop I choose, for the purpose of possibly running trips through the shop. E.g. I do all the work, they just collect the money and maintain the trip roster. It seems like being affiliated with a shop might make other shops reluctant to work with me. So, it seems most advantageous for me to get my DM cert from an agency that won't put me in that position.
It is my understanding that PADI does not require DMs to be affiliated with a shop.
Per a prior conversation with @sheeper, it is my understanding that SDI also does not require a shop affiliation for DMs.
SSI does require all their pro certs to be affiliated with a shop.
Are there any other agencies besides PADI and SDI that offer a DM cert that is not required to be affiliated with a shop?
TIA!
I'm not interested in teaching. My purpose would be to have appropriate training and credentials for leading club dive trips and having professional liability insurance.
As such, I would like to be free to work with any shop I choose, for the purpose of possibly running trips through the shop. E.g. I do all the work, they just collect the money and maintain the trip roster. It seems like being affiliated with a shop might make other shops reluctant to work with me. So, it seems most advantageous for me to get my DM cert from an agency that won't put me in that position.
It is my understanding that PADI does not require DMs to be affiliated with a shop.
Per a prior conversation with @sheeper, it is my understanding that SDI also does not require a shop affiliation for DMs.
SSI does require all their pro certs to be affiliated with a shop.
Are there any other agencies besides PADI and SDI that offer a DM cert that is not required to be affiliated with a shop?
TIA!