Free of charge license for instructors

[Edward3c]

I am not saying that PADI has low recognition in Europe. What I am saying is that it was higher in the past.
During the last years, some dive centers have been migrating from PADI to SSI and not the other way around.
As a result, in spite of being still high, PADI's brand recognition lost strength.

P.S.: I would say in Portugal SSI has currently a higher brand recognition than PADI (as the majority of the dive centers migrated) among new divers.
This was certainly not true in 2017 when I did OWD.

So its your personal opinion based on your local scene.

Do non-divers ask to do their SSI or their PADI?

 

[David Novo]

So its your personal opinion based on your local scene.

No, it is not only based on my local scene. I just gave an example of the reality I was describing. Do you know any country in Europe, in which PADI is increasing its market share vs SSI?

Do non-divers ask to do their SSI or their PADI?

In Portugal, they ask to get their "Open Water", their "Advanced", etc. When I go diving abroad, I am not really paying attention to what people entering the sport ask.

P.S.: I have no skin in the game.

 

[Edward3c]

No, it is not only based on my local scene. I just gave an example of the reality I was describing. Do you know any country in Europe, in which PADI is increasing its market share vs SSI?

As neither organisation publish this commercially sensitive data. No. But then neither do you know which way its going.

In Portugal, they ask to get their "Open Water", their "Advanced", etc. When I go diving abroad, I am not really paying attention to what people entering the sport ask.

P.S.: I have no skin in the game.

About 50% of none divers asking to learn with my club ask if they can get their PADI before going on holiday. We've never had "Can I get my SSI?" That's the advertising power of PADI.

 

[David Novo]

As neither organisation publish this commercially sensitive data. No. But then neither do you know which way its going.

In Portugal, it is obvious that their market share decreased, given the significant amount of dive centers that migrated.

About 50% of none divers asking to learn with my club ask if they can get their PADI before going on holiday. We've never had "Can I get my SSI?" That's the advertising power of PADI.

As I already stated before, I never said that PADI's market share or their brand recognition is not high in Europe. I said that the trend is not really favourable to PADI.
Just out of curiosity, do people in Spain, France, etc ask if they can get their PADI?

 

[DivinLover]

Thanks for your reactivity... Which has even exceeded my expectations...
Having none solution in sight... I kept on searching on the net and...

YESSS, I found it. I Finally Did It... If I may play with its acronym:

IFDI

Which stands for: International Fun Diving Instructors.

There's no license fee and no crossover fee there.

GOODBYE PADI. HELLO IFDI.

 

[lowwall]

That's an actual thing: IFDI - Learn scuba diving. Get your certification & log book.

What about their sister organization, the Aberdeen based International Dour Divers Instructors? "You'll learn, but you'll not like it."

 

[lowwall]

I kind of like the IFDI approach. They've stripped out all the cruft.

Here's the courses offered: IFDI - Water skills and ISO references

They are essentially Discover, OW, AOW, and Rescue. No specialties and no professional training. Instructors must be trained by another organization and there is no crossover course, just a free credentials review. See IFDI - Info for instructors for more info.

 

[DivinLover]

I kind of like the IFDI approach. They've stripped out all the cruft.

Here's the courses offered: IFDI - Water skills and ISO references

They are essentially Discover, OW, AOW, and Rescue. No specialties and no professional training. Instructors must be trained by another organization and there is no crossover course, just a free credentials review. See IFDI - Info for instructors for more info.

Yes, I also love the spirit there.
Simply simple. The essential and that's it.
I wish I could have found it earlier.

 

[p_kos]

IFDI looks cool. Does anyone have any experience with divers who only hold IFDI certs? Curious if they have any issues having their certs recognized buy shops, charters, or other agencies.

 

[tursiops]

Yes, I also love the spirit there.
Simply simple. The essential and that's it.
I wish I could have found it earlier.

Yes, it seems very simple.
It also seems to assume no abuse of the system, and that all instructors using it are honest and adhere to the standards, such as they are.
Frankly, given the complaints we see about instructors that are part of agencies that DO have some sort of quality control, it makes me wonder about the acceptance of IFDI by those who wish to see cert cards.