Why PADI

The Way the World Learns to Dive

Who is PADI? (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)

PADI is the largest Recreational Diver Training, Certification and Membership organization. More than 1 million people train under PADI each year and PADI has accumulated over 25 million diver certifications in total.

PADI has over 135 000 professional members and over 6 500 Dive centers and Resorts in over 186 countries worldwide. With training materials in more than 24 languages and growing with the help of passionate instructors to further give exceptional quality in training over the world.

PADI is also working in conjunction with Emergency First Response organization to increase safety for all divers and the Project AWARE Foundation, a non profit organization dedicated to marine science, environmental awareness and conservation for marine animals and corals.

PADI Pillars of Change.

The Pillars of Change is a 4 tier social and environmental activism platform designed to empower divers to get involved with causes that they care about.

  • Ocean Health: Forge partnerships with organizations in the establishment of MPA's (Marine Protected Areas), with reduction of debris and plastic pollution to aid in restoration and recovery of the coral reefs.
  • Marine Animal Protection: Help protect marine life by teaching environmentally-friendly behavior and promoting sustainable dive tourism with the support of Project AWARE, who enact legislations to help establish balance in the ecosystem.
  • People and Community: Help people become PADI professionals and guide them as teaching the world to dive and instilling a love for the ocean is the heart of PADI so that we can support local groups and build up infrastructure thus nurturing growth throughout the world.
  • Healing and Wellness: Diving is an amazing way to promote healing in both the physical and mental state. By diving many people have overcome adversities and found calmness underwater and gave purpose to plenty of people, something to enjoy and help in protecting.

Education

The PADI system is performance-based and consists of progressive training that introduces skills and safety in a controlled environment. All courses are student-centered and provide practice and application with an appropriate instructor till mastery has been achieved and the student can comfortably execute the skills.

You can continue through a multitude of Recreational courses or divert into one of the 2 other branches of diving such as Freediving and Technical diving.

Once you have achieved what you wanted to achieve you can join the PADI IDC (Instructor Development Course) in which you get trained by a Course Director to become an Instructor yourself and gain the tools needed to teach others in a safe way.

Exploration

More than 70% of the planet is covered in water with infinite possibilities for adventure. By being a qualified diver you hold the passport to the frontier of opportunity and discovery.

With your qualification you can gain access to a multitude of dive sites all around the world and thanks to the vast network of PADI all this can be arranged from your dive canter who can assist in planning your future getaway.

Community

By being the largest training organization world wide PADI has a huge connection of divers around the world, all who are exceptionally passionate about the underwater world and would love to share that experience with you, by keeping divers and PADI Members engaged to continue doing what they love.

PADI has a very open book policy thus members can stay in touch with all things diving from Seminars being held, changes in training and blogs of other fellow members who share their stories for the world to read about and be intrigued by.

Conservation

PADI and Project AWARE strives to be the catalyst for change through implementation of global programs that encourages social and environmental responsibility.

To support the Ocean Health and Marine Protection initiatives, PADI has partnered up with Mission Blue that is building public support for places vital to the health of the ocean. Another partnership GGGI (Global Ghost Gear Initiative) is working to solve the problem of lost fishing gear (known as ghost gear) by removing, recycling and rescuing any animals entangled in ghost gear.

To assist in more conservation be sure to visit projectaware.org for how you can help.