www.padi.com
Who are PADI?
PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors,
is a recreational diver training and educational organisation founded in
1967 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson. It has grown from a small
USA-based organisation into a multi-national, multi-cultural association
of scuba diving professionals, represented in over 175 countries including
the UK. Over 100,000 individual Professional Members operate worldwide and
there is a global network of more than 4700 PADI Dive Centres & resorts.
Worldwide, PADI have certified over 10,000,000 recreational divers, and
presently certify 1,000,000 divers annually around the globe. It is
estimated that 7 out of 10 recreational divers are trained and certified
by PADI Instructors using PADI educational materials and programme
standards.
Why
choose PADI?
Year after year PADI makes diving enjoyable by setting the
highest industry standards for dive training, safety and customer service.
 The
PADI approach to diver instruction is based on progressive training in the
classroom, pool and open water to thoroughly develop an individual’s
underwater skills and knowledge. PADI’s comprehensive range of quality
training materials are educationally valid, and are designed to facilitate
student learning. PADI professional instructors are also equipped with a
range of professional educational materials to teach from, and follow PADI
standards, whilst adding their own personal experience and style to their
tuition. PADI courses are very flexible to accommodate everyone’s
lifestyle and needs – for instance there are home study options, and also
the possibility to study in the UK and then complete final dives whilst
away on holiday.
PADI members provide a whole array of PADI programmes,
available to people from the age of 8 years and upwards. Programmes cater
for the beginner diver right through to Instructor and beyond. In addition
there are many areas of specialised training available, for instance
Underwater Photography, Night Diving, Underwater Naturalist, Wreck Diver
to name but a few of the 28 areas available for further exploration.
With PADI certification recognised at more locations
worldwide than any other, PADI is the clear choice for your underwater
adventure.
Vocational
Accreditation – A Career in Diving
With more
people learning to dive using the PADI system of diver education than with
any other recreational scuba programme, it’s no wonder that PADI
professionals are the most sought after dive leaders in the world. Just
imagine leading a life others only dream about. Whether you work in a
local dive centre, at a resort in a tropical dive destination or on a
live-aboard dive boat, the adventure of a lifetime could be yours. You
will also enable others to enrich their own lives through the experience
of diving. To work as a PADI Professional start by taking the PADI
Divemaster course and work your way up to the PADI Instructor level.
Revised in 2001, PADI’s Instructor Development Course (IDC) and Instructor
Examinations (IE) redefine the standard for instructor training and
assessment, and coupled with state of the art educational materials, is
the most comprehensive programme in the world.
 In
recognition of its standing in the educational field, the
PADI Instructor Development programme (IDC/IE) has received vocational
accreditation within the UK. On the 1st September 2002, the
Certificate in Scuba Instruction was accredited to the National
Qualifications Framework by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA),
Qualifications Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC) and
the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in Northern
Ireland (CCEA).
The
new National Qualifications Framework is a way of organising and quality
assuring qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It shows
how qualifications relate to each other and guarantees the quality of the
qualifications. The Regulatory Bodies’ intent is to ensure quality, rigour
and consistent standards within and across these qualifications. The PADI
Certificate of Scuba Instruction is the first scuba qualification in the
UK to be approved on this framework, and sets the benchmark for vocational
scuba programmes.
The
PADI Certificate in Scuba Instruction is
set at Level 3 in the Vocationally – Related Qualifications category of
the Framework, attesting to attainment in a vocational area. The
Framework consists of six levels, from entry level to level 5, and three
categories: General Qualifications, Vocationally-Related Qualifications
and Occupational Qualifications.
Project AWARE
In response
to the growing awareness of the problems facing both ocean and freshwater
ecosystems, PADI founded Project AWARE* in the last decade of the 20th
century. Project AWARE seeks to increase, through education, both the
diving and non-diving communities' environmental awareness and to
encourage responsible interactions between humans and the aquatic
environment. Developing public awareness campaigns, creating innovative
projects, and providing direct financial support to worthwhile, as well as
educational campaigns, programmes, projects and materials for divers
themselves, Project AWARE has been able to reach out to millions
worldwide.
Project AWARE (UK), charity number 1073327, was established
in 1999 to co-ordinate aquatic environmental activities in the UK,
Ireland, Middle East, Mediterranean, Russia, Eastern Europe and Africa**.
The charity runs a Funding Programme to assist worthwhile environmental
projects. In 1999, the first year of operation, £18,500 of grants were
awarded throughout the charity’s service region. In 2000, over £76,000
was allocated, and in 2001, a total of more than £100,000 was awarded to
37 different projects in the UK, South Africa, Jordan, Egypt, Russia,
Malaysia and the Channel Islands, adding to projects in Greece, Ireland,
Iceland, Seychelles, Mauritius, Honduras, Czech Republic, Croatia, Ghana,
Caribbean, Fiji, Madagascar and Nigeria, from previous years.
The Funding Programme will continue through year 2003 and
beyond, assisting both individuals and groups. Grants of up to £5000 can
be applied for in any one proposal. For details of the grant recipients,
please visit
www.projectaware.org or contact
aware@padi.co.uk
-
*
Aquatic World Awareness, Responsibility and Education
-
**
Project AWARE offices are also located in the U.S.,
Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Norway and Japan.
How
to try Scuba Diving
 If
you’ve always wanted to try scuba, PADI’s Discover Scuba Diving experience
programme is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. Conducted in a
swimming pool this friendly session lasts approximately one hour and
introduces you to the excitement of the underwater world. Skills mastered
in this session can be credited towards future qualifications should you
decide to continue your adventure. For those keen to take the next step,
consider either the PADI Scuba Diver course which will equip you with the
necessary skills to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI
Professional, or alternatively the PADI Open Water Diver course.
Certification to this level allows you to dive with a dive buddy of the
same level or higher.
PADI diver training programmes are available at over 300
PADI Dive Centres throughout the UK. For more information and a list of
dive centres contact :
PADI International Ltd
Unit 7, St Philips Central,
Albert Road, St Philips, Bristol BS2 0PD
Tel:
0117 300 7234
Email:
general@padi.co.uk
www.padi.com |
