Is it a hassle to switch between agencies

[mainedvr]

Ok,

My question is say a person has an SSI Dive Con or other professional cert. They are looking to work in the industry but the operator they are applying with is a padi or other cert agency dive operator. Does a person need to take that agencies course or is there some sort of cross over option, like pay a fee to move laterally?

Thanks

 

[TMHeimer]

I believe there are requirements for most agencies (PADI for sure) when you want to switch over with a prof. certification (though not necessarily with other certs.) Best to contact the other agency to find out about these hoops you have to jump through.

 

[soonerwink]

I am in the process of switching over from a PADI Divemaster to a SSI Dive Control Specialist. I have to take the written exam, so had to purchase dive con kit, and pay for certs.

 

[DevonDiver]

Most agencies accept equivalent qualifications at pre-instructor level.

i.e. they recognize that an SSI DiveCon is the same as a PADI DM is the same as a BSAC DiveLeader etc etc

However, they won't give out their own qualification based upon the equivalence. You have to actually do the course, to get the certification.

What that means is that you can often 'skip' the level where you have the equivalence and go to the next higher level with a different agency.

At instructor levels, agencies often have a cross-over program to 'convert' teaching qualifications from one agency to another. At least one agency, PADI, doesn't allow this - you have to do the IDC and IE to get their instructor rating (no short-cut cross-over).

 

[mainedvr]

Thanks for the responses

 

[coldwatercanada]

The best way is to upgrade! So if your an SSI (DM) take your padi AI or vis versa. Instead of paying to become the same thing your paying to move up a level.

 

[coldwatercanada]

if your a padi instructor you can cross over to the other agencys usually in a day if its with another angency to padi you have to take the whole course