
PADI stands for Professional Association of Diving Instructors. The organization is the most important dedicated to scuba divers training. John Cronin was a U.S. dive equipment salesman, and it was established by two Illinois friends 50 years back. Two friends, John Cronin and Ralph Erickson were the founders. They were both divers and Ralph Erickson was a former lifeguard and water polo coach. Both men were concerned over the state of scuba dive instruction and wanted the industry to improve.
PADI is the largest dive organization in the world.
PADI is the largest international scuba diving organization. They offer certification courses in a range of diving specialties. PADI issued 25 million scuba certifications in 2017. Scuba Schools International (SSI) is another scuba diving organisation. Its founder, Robert Clark, revolutionized scuba diving training by developing a standardized teaching curriculum. SSI was actually the first to use a full teaching program and full motion video.

PADI's first meetings were held in Niles, Illinois and Morton Grove. Cronin later renovated a section of his basement as a headquarters. He also hired a neighbor to work as a part-time secretary and his son Brian to stuff envelopes. As the organization grew, the founders realised the need for an educational course structure and started offering specialty diver courses. The organization had 400 members by the late 1960s.
It offers professional level scuba diving training
If you've been in love with scuba diving for years, you've likely heard about PADI's professional level scuba diving courses. But what is this certification? If you are considering a career shift, you might consider the PADI Professional Level program. You should consider this course because of several reasons. Learn more about the benefits of a PADI Scuba Diving certification below.
PADI and SSI offer courses for both recreational and professional levels. Both courses are flexible so that students can learn at the pace they prefer. PADI requires students to purchase manuals. SSI courses allow students the option of borrowing them once they have signed up. Both organizations provide online manuals and searchable databases, but PADI requires students to purchase actual cards. It is up to you to choose which one best suits you and your needs.
It also has resorts and dive centres.
You can find the most exciting diving experiences in PADI Dive Centers and Resorts in various parts of the world. These institutions adhere to international regulations and local ordinances. In addition, they provide training at the most reasonable prices. To locate a dive shop near to you, you can use our dive shop locator. You can also view the online calendars of dive shops to confirm availability if you have already booked your next diving vacation.

PADI is a private company that has offices in Australia, Canada and Japan. Their global network includes over 6,600 dive centers and over 128,000 professional members. PADI issues more that 1 million certifications every year, and there are over 29,000,000 worldwide. PADI promotes ocean exploration through safety, education, and adventure. It also promotes environmental awareness. The organization provides these experiences to encourage people from all walks and backgrounds to protect the ocean.