German Certification Question

[Paco]

I hope this is posted in the appropriate place and that someone with German language background and/or knowledge of their cert. agencies can help me.

I work in a boarding school here in the U.S. and we attract students from many foreign countries. One of our international students (from Germany) asked if she could come along on a dive I was leading for a small group. I asked to see her certification card and she brought me one that I cannot read.

The card is approximately 3" X 5". Here are some of the things printed on the card:

VERBAND DEUTSCHER TAUCHLEHRER

BREVET

VDTL-BRONZE *

Name hat die Prüfung nach umseitigen Bedingungen erfolgreich abgelegt.


On the back:

VDTL-Bronze

Voraussetzung für die Ablegung der VDTL-Bronze-Prüfung sind 3 Pflichttauchgänge, die von Beginnern im Rahmen der VDT-Grundschein-Prüfung beinhaltet drei weitere Freiwasser-tauchgänge. Die Tauchgänge sind in einer Tiefe von mindestens 10 m und über einem Zeitraum von mindestens 20 Minuten durchzuführen. Dabei sind die im folgenden beschriebenen Fähigkeiten nachzuweisen.



I´m not looking for a full translation, but does this person have more than a resort course certification and can I, as a PADI DM feel comfortable leading her on a local dive?

Any help is appreciated. Mods, please move as appropriate.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Hank49]

http://translate.google.com/transla...ch?q=verband+deutscher+tauchlehrer&hl=en&sa=X

I found this when I googled VERBAND DEUTSCHER TAUCHLEHRER. Sounds a bit like a German version of DIR.

 

[2Cents]

With my rusty German Language skills, it sounds like the person passed their course.
Which consisted of what is listed on the back of the card.
Then I double checked with a German co-worker and he stated the same thing.
"They did 3 dives with a depth of at least 10 meters for at least 20 minutes."

 

[300bar]

Well it has nothing to do with DIR,more with DORK
VDTL is the German , CMAS version
bronze* is a beginner cert. someware between PADI scubadiver and OW.Certified to make guided dives deeper than 10m.but no deepdives nor nightdives.

Hope it helps.

from a

 

[Paco]

Thanks. So I guess I can lead her on some shallow, daytime dives.

 

[Eris Lucan7*]

I do not know that i know that;http://www.vdst.de

That is else like CMAS.I have a FEDASthat is close to CMAS but not the same.....


E.L.7*

 

[AbyssalPlains]

Thanks. So I guess I can lead her on some shallow, daytime dives.

I can help I think you could trust her with a little more than shallow daytime dives. I am German and got certified under the same agency. VDTL is the German Association of Diving Instructors and the Bronze * cert is the equivalent of a PADI or SSI OW plus a stress and rescue cert, at least when I did it in 1993. Here is what I did for mine: A lot of pool work, followed by 7 OW training dives and 1 certification dive (in a lake). In addition to the usual skills like mask clearing etc. this included ascending from 45 feet while buddy breathing from one primary reg; rescue of an unconscious diver from 45 feet; and controlled swimming ascents. The certification is issued under the auspices of CMAS, the international scuba divers association. From what I've seen working with students under the SSI system and from what I've learned about the PADI system, I feel confident saying that neither comes close to the depth of CMAS training.

Unless standards have changed dramatically in the past decade, I seriously doubt what 300 bar diver said. For example, the first time I learned about a depth limit for OW divers shallower than 40 m (130 ft) was when I talked to people who got certified under PADI or SSI. We never made that distinction under CMAS.

 

[Marek K]

I'm looking at this VDTL web page (in German).

The first level, "[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]VDTL - Grundkurs/Holidaykurs" (Basic Course/Vacation Course), requires basic training and three shallow water dives. In other words, a three-dive resort course.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Bronze* course requires three dives (in addition to the Basic Course dives, if those were done); but deeper than 10m, with skills testing. The recommendation is then that the diver dives with a partner who has a minimum *** (=Gold) level.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]I can't find specific skills requirements, but I'd guess they'd be the usual OWD skills. But the recommendation to dive with a Gold*** partner should indicate something. (Rescue training seems to come only with Silver**, below.) [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]For Silver**, the diver would then need at least 25 dives between 10 and 30m, plus two VDTL specialty courses: water rescue/dive accident first aid, and "compass orientation/dive group leadership" (I'd guess that means buddy team leadership?). Plus five dives with skills testing, between 10 and 20m. It's recommended that a Silver** diver be buddied at least with another Silver** diver.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Gold*** then requires at least 30 further "training dives" to 10 to 40m, plus the VDTL large dive group leadership course, plus one of the following specialty courses: ice diving, high-altitude diving, night diving, diving in currents, or wreck diving. It also requires five dives with skills testing, and the "recommendation" is that the dive buddy then is at least Bronze. Kind of divemaster equivalent?[/SIZE][/FONT]

Assistant instructor and instructor certifications are after that.

Does that help?

--Marek

 

[beester]

If the star system is the same as the CMAS system then the following is more or less accurate (I'm saying more or less since there will always be discrepancies between certificationlevels of different organisations).

1 * (bronze) = OW
2 * (silver) = between AOW and rescue diver
3 * (gold) = masterdiver

Of course it's always sound to test the skills in practice during the first few dives. Something you would normaly do anyway with a diver you don't know. Certification is just a theoretical level of expertise imo.