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Why PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)? |
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PADI Divers carry the most respected and sought
after scuba credentials in the world. No matter where you choose to dive, your PADI
certification card will be recognized and accepted. In fact, on most dive adventures
you’ll be surrounded by other PADI Divers who made the same certification choice
you did – to train with the world’s largest and most respected diver training organization. |
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The Educational Difference |
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PADI courses are designed to make learning enjoyable and worthwhile. You get
in and under the water quickly, scuba diving. Under the guidance of your professional
PADI Instructor, you gain confidence while mastering important safety concepts and
skills. You pick up key information as well as helpful tips by interacting with
PADI educational materials – manual, videos, workbooks, multimedia discs, etc. Credentialed
instructional designers use state-of-the-art technology and learning theories to
create PADI materials with you, the student diver, in mind. |
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The unsurpassed quality of PADI materials and
the educational validity of PADI courses has been independently acknowledged by
international educational and vocational training authorities. The American
Council on Education (ACE) and Canadian Learning Bank have both evaluated and recommended
PADI courses for college credit equivalency. PADI Instructor Development
Courses provided through PADI affiliated centres have received vocational training recognition
by the Vocational Education Training and Accreditation Board (VETAB) in Australia,
by the New Zealand Qualification Authority and in the United Kingdom on the National Qualification Framework. |
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International Integrity |
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The PADI System of diver education
assures that PADI professionals worldwide deliver PADI courses in a consistent and
standardized manner, yet adapted to your unique needs and the requirements of your
local diving environment. A PADI course you sign up for in Indonesia is virtually
the same as a course a friend may take in Poland, yet both will be adapted to local
cultures, customs, protocols and language. With more than 130,000 PADI Professionals
and around 5300 PADI Dive Centers and Resorts operating in 180 countries and territories,
you will likely find a PADI Professional who can speak your language and offer you
a comfortable learning experience. To serve the needs of divers worldwide, translations
of PADI materials are available in at least 26 languages. Because PADI Dive Centers, Resorts and Instructors exist almost everywhere, no matter where your travels take
you, you’ll find PADI programs and PADI dive buddies. |
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Professional Quality |
Just as you must earn every PADI certification,
PADI Instructors must complete a development program that sets the industry standard
for instructor training. Each new PADI Instructor demonstrates a thorough knowledge
of the PADI System and the ability to conduct PADI programs by meeting specific
criteria. Before earning the PADI Instructor rating, all candidates are evaluated
by a select group of PADI-employed Instructor Examiners. This ensures that the evaluation
process is objective, fair and consistent worldwide.
All PADI programs, entry-level through instructor training, fall under strict educational
standards monitored for worldwide consistency and quality. PADI takes a proactive
approach to quality management and randomly surveys PADI Divers to confirm that
their courses met PADI’s high standards as well as the divers’ expectations. No
other diver training organization works to maintain this level of professional reliability
and integrity. PADI’s commitment to a strong quality assurance process helps continually
improve customer satisfaction. |
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Continuing Adventures |
Your underwater adventures begin in
your entry-level course and grows as you explore new dive sites, use new equipment
and try different types of diving, like night or wreck diving. Providing the education,
equipment and experiences you want and need, your PADI Dive Center or Resort supports
your diving and helps you truly live the dive life.
You can tap into more than 25 specialty diver courses that allow you to focus
on your areas of interest. You can progress up through PADI Rescue Diver on to PADI Divemaster and put your skills to use assisting other divers, or aim for the elite
PADI Master Scuba Diver level – diving’s ultimate non professional level recreational
scuba diver rating. The PADI System of diver education allows you to continue your
dive education for a lifetime – even after you become a PADI Instructor – a vocation
or avocation that provides a fulfillment few jobs can match.
As a PADI Diver, you become part of the larger PADI community. In many parts of
the world, you can join the PADI Diving Society, an organization made up of dive
enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels. The PADI Diving Society keeps members
informed on the latest developments in dive news, technology and training and offers
members savings and incentives on all of the things you need to stay active and
involved in diving - including dive travel, equipment and training.
My PADI is an online dive community built just for PADI Divers. Through it, you
tap into the experiences of other divers around the world, share your personal dive
experiences, track your dive education and maintain records of your equipment purchases.
As a PADI Diver, you also have access to the dive travel specialists at PADI Travel Network. With years of experience seeking out the best dive vacation values
and helping divers plan memorable, customized trips, the PADI
Network can send you
on a dive holiday to member resorts, dive operators and live-aboard dive boats in
popular destinations around the world. |
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Environmental Responsibility |
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The worldwide PADI organization is committed
to preserving the aquatic environment for future generations. PADI courses encompass
Project AWARE’s environmental awareness and protection philosophy. Throughout every
PADI course, you’ll learn the importance of protecting fragile aquatic ecosystems
and are encouraged to become involved in conservation efforts. As a PADI Diver,
you join millions of others to form a growing force that can and does make a difference
in the effort to preserve the underwater world. |
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© BDO 2013 |