There are tons of diver certification organizations in the world but for now we will stick to these two.
COST OF CERTIFICATIONS
SSI is often slightly cheaper, as they don’t usually insist that the student purchases a manual for the course. You can borrow during the course and give it back at the end of it. SSI books are available for sale should you want one though.
PADI, however, do insist on purchasing the materials – no matter if you are traveling around the world or learning at home. They feel that post-course review of materials is important to maintain knowledge-levels. They offer an e-book in case you are worried about cramming everything into your backpack.
ONLINE LEARNING
Both SSI and PADI offer their students to start the practical portion of the scuba lessons via online learning which will save time and gives divers more time to just dive. The difference here is both cash and longevity: SSI’s online learning is free, whereas with PADI you will pay there fee of around ~$200. PADI offer you access to their system for one year from when you sign up, whereas with SSI it’s there for you all the time, even after the course. If you choose not to buy the book, you can simply log in and use the site as a review when you want a refresher later on.
COURSE WORK
In terms of actual coursework involved, both the PADI and SSI certification programs will give you all of the skills and knowledge you need to be a successful and safe diver. In fact, many people will tell you that the dive instructor, rather than the course itself, is the most important factor in terms of how much you learn and how well you learn the skills you need to be a scuba diver.
TEACHING METHODOLOGY
The science, skills and techniques don’t change with whatever agency you choose but the methodology can be a little different. As an example, a PADI course runs in a set order, meaning the student must complete skill A before moving to skill B. Skills performed in rigid sequence. If you do change, you break standards. Whereas, an SSI course flow can be altered to suit the student. If you were having trouble mastering a skill with SSI, then your instructor is allowed to move on, get you comfortable and build your confidence with something else, and then return to that challenging technique. SSI teaches with an 80/20 approach. The instructor can adapt 20% of the course to fit the pace of learning, ensuring a student focused training program.
CERTIFICATION CARDS
With PADI, centers have to either send off certification details or process them online to submit them to PADI. You can still dive straight away though and you do get a temporary card that is valid for 90 days. Your real card will be sent to the address you choose. If you are travelling then it’s best to send it home. If you are traveling for longer than 90 days, you can still have you certification checked on the PADI website.
SSI processes certification cards locally, so in most instances, you will receive your original certification card right at the end of your course. This means you will be registered straight away and you don’t need to wait for your original card to be sent home. No waiting months for your certification cards. With your card you may now dive anywhere else your travels take you.
COURSE NAMES
The actual names of the courses may be different between the two schools. For instance, the PADI Advanced Open Water is not the same level as the SSI Advanced Open Water. In actual fact, the PADI AOW equates to the SSI Advanced Adventurer qualification. The SSI Advanced Open Water qualification instead equates to the PADI Master Scuba Diver level.
Just be careful when signing up for the courses, especially if you’re taking certain courses from one school and other courses from the other.
RECOGNITION
Because both schools adhere to the guidelines set forth by the WRSTC or World Recreational Scuba Training Council, you can rest assured that certifications from both SSI and PADI schools will be recognized wherever you go in the world.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the courses teach the same information because they adhere to the standards set forth by the WRSTC. After all, no matter which organization you take a course with, you will use the same kind of equipment and see the same marine life underwater.
A lot of experienced divers in the industry will tell you that it does not really matter whether you choose SSI or PADI. At the end of the day, you get a scuba certification card and you can dive anywhere in the world.