PADI to SSI

[amcordon]

This may be beating a dead horse but how easy is it to move speacilties from agency to agency? I've read multiple posts on changing OW and AOW interagency no problem but wanted to double check.

I have OW and EANx through PADI because I got them in high school and that is who the school used. But now the group of people I dive with are SSI including the LDS owners so I feel I should switch over.

 

[Bappelt]

Your PADI OW and EANx cards are still valid and wouldn't need to be done with SSI. Any future classes that you take thru the SSI shop would then be issued as SSI cards. Many folks have certifications for different classes thru multiple agencies.

 

[pir8]

You really don't need to get new agency cards to dive with a shop of a different flavor. If you want to take classes with the new shop then they will issue cards for their agency. I can teach thru several of the agencies so the shops I teach for handle several agencies so its pretty much whatever agency the student wants.

 

[Beowulfe]

This is probably more for the going pro section but let me ask here since we're on the subject. I know you can use your PADI OW as the prereq for SSI specialties. If you decide to become an instructor for SSI, can you only teach the courses you have had from SSI? So if I go and take a PADI night course, could I teach that with just my SSI instructor?

 

[Skooter]

When you become an instructor you will "test out" to qualify yourself to teach the different specialties. To become an instructor you will be very familar with the SSI materials for all classes that you want to teach.

 

[pir8]

I'm not a SSI Instructor so I can't say for sure but I can't imagine them not letting you certify toteach a subject because you didn't take their course originally.

 

[Islandheart]

As a PADI/HSA Instr, working to add SSI, I suggest you fully investigate what it takes to crossover.

With your OW, Specialities and Dive-Master/Dive Con certs, it's not just a slam-dunk because your taught it with the other guy.

Oh and by the way, PADI is not the only one asking for $$$ every step of the way.

 

[MikeMarlow]

I came up to Divemaster with the PADI system, including multiple specialties. I have specialty cards from PADI, NAUI, ACUC, and a couple others. When I decided to become an SSI instructor, I picked up where a DiveCon would start, and had no issues. For specialties, it was easy to pick those up for SSI Instructor, just by providing proof of experience to SSI training, and purchasing the necessary instructor materials. Once you become an instructor, the staff at SSI that works with the instructors is very helpful in getting everything taken care of.

Mike