As a new diver, you are going to hear and read various opinions about which agency is better, which you should avoid, or even a comment that you are not a “real diver” if you get certified by XYZ agency. There are people that have dedicated all their free time (which they apparently have way too much of!) to bad mouthing one or more of the certification agencies, via websites or forums.

First let me tell you that there are more agencies out there than you can imagine. Here is a list of ONLY the biggest names:

PADI
NAUI
SSI
YMCA
PSAI
MDEA
IANTD
SDI
TDI
IDEA
BSAC
ESA
GUE
NACD
PDIC
SAA
SSAC
HAS
ANDI

There is no law that mandates an instructor be affiliated with a certain agency, but I can’t imagine any instructor teaching in the US without an affiliation with at least one agency. Outside the US is a different story.

Historically in our sport people associated with one agency whose members, for whatever reason, have had a falling out over a difference of opinion or philosophy within the membership, have moved on to create a new agency. Many of these “offshoot” agencies didn’t last very long, but a number of them did, so it’s very easy to understand why one agency may not necessarily be friendly with the other since their founders have a long-standing feud with the original group. This is not the case with all the agencies, but this kind of animosity does exist. You will also find individuals (instructors) who have left an agency and will spend a considerable amount of time telling their students how bad that particular agency is.

In my opinion there are no bad agencies, especially at the entry level. They all follow the RSTC’s (Recreational SCUBA Training Council) minimum course content guidelines. All agencies are going to teach you how to clear your mask, recover your regulator, control your buoyancy, etc. Some agencies are more appealing to the mainstream, mass market, while others are more boutique-like, with a narrow appeal. Some have been very successful and others not, but that doesn’t make one better than the other.

In a nutshell, the problem isn’t bad agencies, but bad instructors and the SCUBA shops that employ them. Some instructors are so new at the sport that they shouldn’t be teaching yet, while others have spent so many years in the field that they just don’t care anymore. I have always beleived that the responsibility falls on the consumer to find the right instructor and course, and not worry so much about the agency they will be certified through.

Let me tell you about a personal experience. A couple of years ago, I was working at a dive center answering questions from a father who wanted his 13 year old child certified. The most important (ONLY important) factor to him was the price. He could have cared less about what he was getting for his investment, or what the overall quality of a cheaper product might be. Should he have a right to complain about the agency when he opted to save a few bucks without realizing what he was giving up in the process and ended up with a bad experience? Whose fault was it that his discount course with one instructor and twenty students wasn’t what he expected? Unfortunately, most people take the route of blaming someone else for their uninformed mistakes rather than accept personal responsibility…and SCUBA Agencies suffer the brunt of this abuse.

The bottom line is simple, look for the course and instructor that fits you. Find an instructor that will listen to you and be interested in why you are taking the course.
Please don’t base your decision on the price! In the SCUBA store, ask questions, check out the rental department (even if you are not renting), ask to see the compressor room, and check training certificates. Don’t just assume that a dive shop employee is an instructor, many are not, but to a new diver they may appear to be more knowledgable than they really are. If you find hesitation when asking any of your questions, or discover old, outdated gear and/or facilities, please find a different dive center.

It’s funny, but people seem to do more way more reasearch, and even get references, for a contractor who may simply be installing a light bulb in our home, than we do for someone who is going to take you and/or your loved ones underwater. Is it just me, or do you think that’s a little silly?

So in conclusion, what do I think is the good, the bad, and the evil surrounding the topic of SCUBA Agencies?

Good = ALL SCUBA Agencies.
Bad= Instructors and shops who don’t care about their product.
Evil = Anyone who doesn’t take personal responsibility for making the wrong choice in their SCUBA training and blames others for their mistake!