NAUI courses in PADI land

[twistypencil]

I obtained my NAUI OW some time ago, and now I live in a new location and all the dive shops around are PADI. On the NAUI website, I can search for instructors and there are some in my area... can I contact them to ask them if they can do instruction for advanced, nitrox, etc? Or do they have to be affiliated with a shop to do the instruction?

 

[tbone1004]

we are not bound to a shop to teach, nor are PADI instructors though individual instructors don't show up on PADI's website, only shops

there is no guarantee that your local NAUI instructors will be any better than the PADI instructors so you are best to interview the shops in the area as well

 

[twistypencil]

What are some good questions to ask instructors to interview them?

Edit: found a few threads about that here already:
Instructor Interview Questions
How to check out instructors?

 

[MichaelMc]

This google search:
site:scubaboard.com interview instructor

yields these ScubaBoard threads on interview questions for instructors:
Instructor Interview Questions
How to find an excellent SCUBA class

There has been more recent focus on teaching skills neutral, so I would ask if the instructor focuses on divers being neutral and in trim. Though this is less the focus of most post OW classes, assuming it has already been covered. But a good AOW class might start with buoyancy and then move on to nav, night, deep.

This was Padi focused, but the ideas of what to look for post OW apply.
Which PADI AOW specialties

 

[sigxbill]

You can check these links for more private instructors in your area:

Find an Instructor · UTD Scuba Diving

GUE Instructors | Global Underwater Explorers

IANTD INSTRUCTOR SEARCH

 

[boulderjohn]

In case it was not clear in the previous responses, if you have an OW certification with any legitimate agency, you can go on to get more advanced training with any other agency.

 

[broncobowsher]

I have my basic cert from NAUI.
The handful of cards that I have gathered over the past few decades come in flavors of NAUI, PADI, and TDI.

PADI has the biggest advertising budget, you will see more of them. I know shops that will offer either brand. Even my last instructor offered my choice of agencies with my last tech course. Same instruction, just which paperwork to send where when done.