Experience - While education helps develop knowledge and skills, the key to becoming a comfortable and confident diver is simply to dive as much as possible. Your experience increases as you explore different diving locations, meet new friends, have new adventures and explore new worlds. That's why SSI's motto is "serious diving, serious fun."

?The Passport Diver Program takes dive training to a new level of convenience and accessibility for first-time divers by focusing on just the knowledge and skills required in diving proficiently under the direct supervision of a dive leader. You can also earn a passport to adventure and dive on colorful, shallow-water reefs. And your Passport will continue to be recognized by any participating Passport facility as long as you log at least one dive every six months.

?Academics are limited to practical, "need to know" safety information that directly affects the immediate needs of divers. So you can start diving as soon as possible, you'll practice a reduced skill set with SSI's Comfort Through Repetition teaching method in limited pool and open water sessions. Water training is emphasized so you can have fun diving. You will also practice basic scuba skills in order to build ability and comfort.

?If you completed the Try Scuba program in the previous 14 days, you will receive credit for your academic session and Pool/Confined Water Session 1 and Open Water Session 1. Those who complete the Passport Diver Program can apply their academic sessions, pool/confined water sessions and open water sessions to Open Water Diver certification.

?Diving offers a lifetime of exciting adventure and the ideal way to begin that adventure is with SSI's Open Water Diver course. Under the guidance of a professional SSI Instructor, you will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to enjoy a lifetime of underwater exploration.

?SSI's modular, six-session teaching system includes a video, manual, study guide, DiveLog and dive tables. And with SSI's home study approach, you will be able to minimize your time in the classroom allowing for more time in the water developing ability and comfort.

?In multiple pool and open water session, you will practice scuba skills with SSI's exclusive Comfort Through Repetition teaching method. Some of the skills you will learn include: moving in the water with ease, breathing normally under water, and controlling buoyancy so you neither descend nor ascend; the easiest ways to enter and exit the water and getting water out of your mask or mask clearing.

?Since you can't dive without equipment, there is extensive information on scuba equipment including: selecting the best diving equipment for your needs & budget; maintaining and adjusting your equipment to extend its life and improve performance.

SSI's Continuing Education System is designed to let you personalize your education to become the type of diver you want to be. Through our Specialty courses, you will be introduced to the knowledge, skills and equipment required to become a proficient diver in specialties such as Diver Stress and Rescue, Computer Diving, Boat Diving, Navigation, Wreck Diving and many more.

You can also earn SSI Continuing Education Ratings such as Specialty Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver and Master Diver. SSI's ratings are the only ratings in the industry that combine training and experience requirements, proving those SSI ratings are truly earned.

Specialties

?Specialty activities introduce certified divers to a whole new world of diving opportunities. Learning is easy. You can purchase SSI Specialty manuals and videos from your SSI Authorized Dealer. Then enroll in a specialty course, because it is recommended that you practice specialized scuba skills with an SSI Advanced Instructor.
?Using the SSI education system you will learn the information about specific types of specialty diving that would take you years of diving to learn on your own.
?Under the guidance of an SSI Instructor, you will learn the correct skills and techniques associated with the specialties of your choice to make you a more comfortable and confident diver.
?You will learn how to use an expanded range of equipment to help you make your dives more enjoyable and worthwhile.

SSI Specialty Courses: Boat Diving, Computer Diving, Deep Diving, Diver Stress & Rescue, Dry Suit Diving, Enriched Air Nitrox, Equipment Techniques, Navigation, Night & Limited Visibility Diving, Search & Recovery, Underwater Photography, Waves, Tides & Currents, Wreck Diving, Unique Specialties (written by SSI Instructors).

Are you drowning in a sea of paper and landlocked reality? Then maybe it's time to become an SSI Instructor and work in an office that covers 3/4 of the world. There's high demand for full and part-time SSI Instructors at retail shops and exotic resorts. Graduates of the SSI program are not just teachers; they know the industry, the business, how to sell dive trips and equipment, and how to produce confident, comfortable divers.

You can begin your adventure in SSI dive leadership by taking one of two paths. You can choose to start with the Dive Control Specialist (DiveCon) rating which allows you to teach SSI's update and specialty courses and assist SSI Instructors in other courses. Then if you wish, you can take your leadership rating to the next level by becoming an SSI Open Water Instructor.