Diving Certification
Diving Certification Courses, Scuba Diving Certification Books & Information
In virtually every hobby and every field, there are ways of getting certification for what you do, whether you’re a computer programmer or a medical assistant. The whole point of certification is to show you know it well enough to be practicing it. Now, because scuba diving is considered to be a “hobby” for you, you may not think certification is that important. However, becoming certified is a big deal in scuba diving. You’ll get all your questions about diving certification answered in this article.
What is Diving Certification?
So what is diving certification? Basically, diving certification is something that says you know how to scuba dive. Becoming certified is a way of showing your knowledge of the sport, whether you’re beginner or advanced. It is the perfect way to receive recognition for just what you know. Depending on your skill level, you may have different types of diving certification. There are certifications for advanced divers, intermediate divers and the beginner diver.
How Old Do I Have to Be?
Some people start the scuba diving process as young as 6 or 7 years old. If you thought certification was only for adults, you’re wrong. Kids as young as 10 or 11 can obtain a junior level certification. Those older can obtain more advanced certifications.
What Are the Main Certifications?
The main scuba diving certifications are Junior Open Water Diver Certification (10-14 years of age) and Open Water Diver Certification (15 years and older). The Open Water Diver Certification is a certification for adults or those close to being adults.
Why Get Certified?
If you are looking to show other scuba divers or clubs that you are capable of scuba diving, a certification is absolutely necessary. Also, if you are planning on doing scuba diving for a living, many prospective employers require certification. Even if you are only doing scuba diving for the fun of it, getting certified is a good idea.
What Skills Do I Need to Pass to Get Certified?
What you need to know before obtaining a certain certification will depend entirely on what certification you are seeking. For a beginner-level certification, you will need to know how to swim and perform basic scuba diving functions. For more advanced certification, you will need to know much more than this.
How Do I Get Certified?
So how exactly do you get certified? Well, it’s not unlike getting a driver’s license—you’ll need to find an agency to grant you certification and then will have to prove to them that you are ready to be certified. What agencies should you be looking at for certification? There are many to look at, but the most popular choices are PADI and Y.M.C.A. Depending on where you live, your options for certification may be more or less broad than this.
OK, But How Much Will It Cost?
You’ve probably heard all the stories about certification being ridiculously expensive. Thankfully, that’s not true. Certification for scuba diving can be pretty affordable. You can expect to pay somewhere in the range of $100-$300 for classes to learn and then get certification. Of course, the amount you pay will depend on where you take the classes and certification from (i.e. The local dive shop, Y.M.C.A. Etc.), but it should fall within this range.
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